


Heart of Porcelain

by JodiMarie2910



Category: Hana Yori Dango | Boys Over Flowers (Anime & Manga), Hana Yori Dango | Boys Over Flowers (TV), 꽃보다 남자 | Boys Over Flowers
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Because Ga Eul & Yi Jeong Deserve a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Canon Universe, Drama & Romance, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Getting Together, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Long-Distance Relationship, Post-Canon, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Soeulmates, Soulmates, True Love, Unofficial Sequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:00:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 62
Words: 141,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24380932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JodiMarie2910/pseuds/JodiMarie2910
Summary: The Chu Ga Eul/So Yi Jeong BOF Sequel that HAD to be written. A story of love and friendship spanning the four years he spent in Sweden and a bit beyond. With some unexpected twists. Yi Jeong and Ga Eul spend a night together before he leaves for Sweden, and the story goes on from there...Rated T for language and innuendo. There is a little bit of smut in two chapters, but I have made a note at the beginning of those chapters.This work is COMPLETE!
Relationships: Chu Ga Eul/So Yi Jung, So Hyun Sub/OC, Song Woo Bin/OC
Comments: 47
Kudos: 60





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally published on my fanfiction.net account from 04/14/17 to 10/05/19. Just reposting here. :)

They drove back from the kiln in silence. Ga Eul suddenly found herself wanting to remember every detail of his car. She wished, for once, that the traffic would remain heavy or that they would have to take a long detour due to construction. For all her brave words a few days earlier, she was not ready to give him up just yet. And his words from that afternoon now filled her with such hope. He had promised to come back to her—first.

Too soon, they pulled up in front of Ga Eul's house, where the memory of their second pretend date still lingered in her memory.

"Thank you for the ride, Sunbae."

"No problem."

Ga Eul unbuckled her seatbelt but couldn't bring herself to budge. After hesitating a few moments, she mumbled, "Sunbae?"

"Yes?"

Ga Eul opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Shaking her head and opening the door, she replied, "Nothing. Thank you again." As she started to get out, though, she felt a hand clamp around her left wrist, tugging her back.

"It's not nothing. What were you going to say?"

She could hear a slight edge to his voice, and his hand clenched her wrist a bit tighter with the last few words.

She couldn't look at him then. Stupid girl. She shouldn't have said anything. He was probably growing tired of her confessions by now. Her clumsy attempts to show him how much she cared. What did that promise really mean anyway? That he was seriously interested in her? Interested in her in _that_ way? When he could literally have any girl he wanted.

_Get a grip_ , Ga Eul scolded herself. _He's probably just grateful to you for all you did, like a friend would be to another friend_.

But she could feel his hand still on her wrist and his gaze on her holding steady. He seemed to be holding his breath. She realized she had been holding hers too.

"Ga Eul yang?" he said quietly.

"Will I see you?" Ga Eul blurted out. She forced herself to look up at him. "Before you leave, I mean…um, will I see you again?"

_Or is this goodbye?_

His grip on her arm loosened then, and after a moment he pulled away.

"Why don't you stop by my studio later this week? I'll be packing up some stuff there, and I could use some help. Say, um, Thursday?"

"I have work Thursday, but I can come around six. Is…that okay?"

Yi Jeong grinned then. "As long as it's six in the evening, not six in the morning."

"Okay." She found herself staring into his eyes a bit longer than necessary. Then, abruptly, she turned and climbed out of the car.

She turned back around, her hand easing the car door closed.

"Goodnight, Sunbae." Ga Eul tried to smile at him normally.

"Goodnight. Take care." As she shut the door, she saw him smile and wink at her once. Then she was watching his car roar down the street and turn the corner.

What if this was the last time he would drop her off?

_Oh, stop being a sentimental fool, Ga Eul. At least you have Thursday. Yeah, there's no telling what could happen on Thursday._


	2. Chapter 2

She'd forgotten he wanted her to help him pack some things, an activity that would have been much easier in the jeans she was wearing earlier. Now Ga Eul was standing in Yi Jeong's studio, wearing a red skater skirt with a bowknot waist and a cream-colored satin blouse with her red pumps. Not the same red pumps she had worn to give him that Valentine's gift so long ago. She had worn the heels on those shoes down to the nubs until one day she accidentally broke one of the heels off while running to catch the bus.

Yi Jeong brought a tea set over to one of the tables and motioned for her to sit down.

"You know, you don't have to bribe me with tea anymore," Ga Eul said, taking a seat.

"I know, but I've always been known as a good host. I have a reputation to keep up."

Ga Eul slowly brought the cup to her lips. The tea burned her tongue and tasted bitter. Truth be told, she liked coffee more, with milk and plenty of sugar. Setting the cup down, Ga Eul remarked, "I don't mind packing. In fact, I'm an expert."

Yi Jeong, who had brought his cup up to his lips, looked up at her. "Really?" He took a sip. He'd thought Ga Eul had lived her entire life in the same place, given that she and Geum Jan Di had been friends since kindergarten.

Ga Eul nodded. "My grandmother is living with me and my parents right now. After my grandfather died a few years ago, we helped her move to our house. Then after a few months she moved to my aunt's. Then my uncle's job transferred him to another city, so she's back with us until my aunt and uncle find a bigger place." Ga Eul sighed and shook her head. "Then she'll move again."

"Your parents don't want her living with them?"

Something shifted in Ga Eul's countenance, something Yi Jeong couldn't read.

"Sorry, it's none of my business."

"Oh, no, it's okay," Ga Eul said, picking up her tea again and staring at it. "My aunt is my mom's older sister. She wants my grandmother to live with them."

Satisfied with this response, Yi Jeong scanned the half-filled boxes littering the floor and the other tables. He didn't really need Ga Eul's help. There were only a few more things to be packed away. He wasn't exactly taking a lot with him to Sweden, and anything he thought of after he got there could be sent over. No, what he really wanted was to have a few hours alone with this girl he couldn't seem to stop thinking about since…since…he wasn't sure when it had started. He wanted to have at least one conversation with her that didn't revolve around Jan Di and Jun Pyo and didn't end with her walking away from him in tears.

When he had first met her, he thought that she liked to believe she was different, that she wouldn't fall for his charms, but that deep down she was like all the rest. There he'd been partially right. She had fallen for him, if those homemade chocolates had been any indication—surprisingly he _had_ eaten them, and surprisingly they were delicious. But he couldn't just pass her off as another shallow bimbo with passingly pretty features. She was always studying him, always caring for him, always showing up at the wrong place at the wrong time ready to give him a piece of her mind. It was that caring, honest, determined character of hers that eventually won him over—well, that and the fact that she was more than passingly pretty after being dolled up for their first night out together. He thought he recognized the shade of lipstick she was wearing tonight. It suited her. If only her phone hadn't rang.

She looked up then, and he realized he'd been staring at her instead of the boxes.

"Do you want any more?" He gestured to the tea.

"No, thank you." Ga Eul shook her head. She pushed her cup further into the center of the table. Pulling a hair tie off of her wrist, she pulled her hair into a ponytail, got up from the table, and started looking around. "What do you want done first?"

Yi Jeong stood up also. "I thought we could just pack away the rest of those pots along that far wall. You're going to have to be very careful with them though."

"You know," Ga Eul said, picking up a small pot and examining it. "I thought you would have maids to do your packing for you." She looked back at him and smiled disarmingly.

"You think I would trust them not to break anything?"

"And you trust me?"

Yi Jeong shrugged. "You're a waitress. Don't you have to balance trays full of dishes all day long?"

Ga Eul nodded and put the pot back down, seeming to think about that.

"Besides, you're a potter now. You can replace whatever you break, right?" Yi Jeong strode over and set two medium-sized cardboard boxes in front of her.

"Sunbae, I can't make these. I'm at the beginning of the beginner's classes!"

Yi Jeong laughed. "Calm down. This is why I say girls won't make it. You take things too seriously."

"I do not!"

"See?"

Ga Eul huffed half-jokingly and grabbed some rather pristine sheets of brown packing paper lying on a nearby table. "How about you hand me what you want me to pack, and I'll wrap it and put it in the box?"

Obligingly, Yi Jeong handed her a narrow vase glazed in light blue and tan with a high sheen to it. It dawned on Ga Eul as she handled each piece that everything she created would be mere replicas of some more skilled craftsman's work. Yet here for a fleeting moment she was holding the real things, pieces that would probably be put in museums at some point or auctioned off to the rich families of Cheongdamdong or maybe some that had won the young prodigy acclaim in a foreign land not unlike the one he was traveling to.

Ga Eul handed him another piece, and her thumb grazed his for just a second before she pulled her hand back and cleared her throat.

"So what exactly are you going to do in Sweden? I mean, I know you're getting therapy for your hand."

"I'll be finishing my college classes. Once my hand recovers enough, I'll be tutored in pottery again."

Ga Eul nodded.

"What are you doing?" Yi Jeong asked.

"Ah, I'm not sure. I mean, I'm going to college, of course, but I'm not sure what I want to study yet. To be honest, it happens so suddenly. Like, all you do is go to school for years and years, and then all of a sudden people are like, 'You, what are you going to do with your life?'" Ga Eul sighed, lightly crinkling the paper in her hands as she searched for another vase to put in the box. "I don't know if I can decide what I want to do the rest of my life right this second."

"Well, you have some time." Yi Jeong said, shifting one of the vases in the box. 'And a choice,' he thought, standing up to look out of the window at the streetlights that had just been lit. For a fleeting moment, he envied Ga Eul in all of her uncertainty. There was an open-endedness to her life, a possibility of going one way or the other, that he would never have in his own life. He didn't want to think about that now, though.  
"Did you—"

A loud crash shattered his next words. He turned to face the other side of the room, where Ga Eul had gone to retrieve a few pots. She was standing rigidly there, fists to her sides, facing him but staring down at the ground where a mass of pottery shards lay at her feet. Her face had gone ashen.

Ga Eul had known the minute she picked up the pots that she didn't have a good grip on them. That's what she got for trying to carry two at the same time. Bending down to pick the pieces up, she heard footsteps rapidly approaching her and braced herself for a good scolding.

"Ga Eul-yang!"

_Here it came._

"Ga Eul-yang." A hand grabbed her arm and pulled it away from the pottery. "You want to cut yourself? Just stay where you are. Let me get the broom from the back closet."

Then Yi Jeong disappeared through a door in the back corner of the room that Ga Eul had always wondered about.

At that moment, there was a knock at the door, and Ga Eul automatically went to answer it, only pausing when her hand reached the door handle because she realized it could be Yi Jeong's father or one of Yi Jeong's many female admirers or any number of people who might not be so enthused by her presence there. So she lingered with her hand on the door handle until she was saved from her predicament by Yi Jeong, who brushed her aside and opened the door himself.

And there, standing on the other side of the door, were two people.

Eun Jae, who looked as surprised to see Ga Eul as Ga Eul was to see her.

Another man who looked strikingly similar to Yi Jeong, albeit taller and a bit slimmer. His look of surprise at seeing Ga Eul quickly faded into a warm smile.

"Ga Eul-yang," Yi Jeong began tentatively, recovering from his own shock. "This is my brother Il Hyun, and I believe you already know Eun Jae."

"Nice to meet you," Ga Eul said, bowing politely.

"Same to you." Il Hyun returned the gesture.

"Ga Eul-yang," Yi Jeong began again, "is my girlfriend."


	3. Chapter 3

Ga Eul wasn't sure what she wanted to do more—disappear or splash her iced Americano in Yi Jeong's face. After a few awkward attempts on Yi Jeong's part at inviting Il Hyun and Eun Jae in, Il Hyun suggested they all go out for coffee and pastries. Now the four of them were sitting in a coffee shop that Il Hyun apparently owned. It was the first coffee shop Ga Eul had ever been in that also served wine. Rows and rows of wine glasses hung from ceiling and lined the counter behind which the barista now stood, ringing up an elderly couple that reminded Ga Eul of her grandmother and grandfather when her grandfather had still been alive.

Sitting diagonally from her, Il Hyun chatted about how business was going, seeming blissfully unaware of the awkward tension emanating from the other three parties. At least, Ga Eul knew _she_ was half-embarrassed, half-livid, and Eun Jae—seated directly across from her—had been avoiding all eye contact with her formerly beloved pupil since they sat down. Yi Jeong, for his part, maintained that same outwardly cool and uncaring demeanor he had projected the night he offered her up to his father on a silver platter. Ga Eul picked at the slice of cake she had in front of her and glanced at Eun Jae, who quickly averted her eyes to her own plate.

 _Yi Jeong is doing it again_ , Ga Eul thought-using her affection for him, her weakness for him, as a way to get back at the ones who hurt him. Ga Eul didn't know why she had thought tonight would be any different. Had he known they were coming by? Is that why he told her to meet him on Thursday? Or was this what inevitably happened to Ga Eul whenever she tried to find some place in his life beyond being his best friend's girlfriend's friend? Either way, what he had said was inexcusable, and Ga Eul wasn't going to just walk out this time. She could be polite. She could be civil for just a bit longer, but the minute she got Yi Jeong alone she was going to give him a tongue-thrashing he'd never forget.

Not to mention how sorry Ga Eul felt for Eun Jae, who hadn't known until this evening that she was giving romantic advice to the person trying to win over her own first love. Didn't that make Ga Eul like Yi Jeong in a way—the deceitfulness of it all?

Ga Eul scratched her fork against her plate a bit too forcefully, causing Il Hyun to turn his attention to her. Eun Jae did, too, just for an instant. Then she stood up and quietly excused herself to go to the restroom. As Eun Jae retreated toward the restrooms, Ga Eul noted, not for the first time, how elegant and refined she looked—how like someone who should marry into the So family.

"So do you go to school with my brother?" Il Hyun's question interrupted her musings, and she flusteredly turned her attention back to him. In spite of the jumble of emotions that was threatening to overwhelm her at the moment, Il Hyun's warm, wide smile caused Ga Eul to relax a bit. She could definitely tell Il Hyun was Yi Jeong's brother, but Il Hyun had an openness with his emotions, a genuineness in his manner that Yi Jeong lacked. Ga Eul had already decided she liked him.

Ga Eul glanced sideways at Yi Jeong, expecting him to come up with some outlandish story to explain how they knew each other. Not that anything could be more outlandish than the truth.

When he said nothing, Ga Eul set her fork down, looked Il Hyun in the eyes, and answered truthfully, "No. We met in a porridge shop about…" Ga Eul looked at Yi Jeong, who was sitting cool as a cucumber, and a new determination lit her eyes. "When was it…Oppa?" she said sweetly as she kicked his leg under the table.

"Ah, two years ago," Yi Jeong answered, flinching, but barely. If Ga Eul had blinked, she would have missed the brief lapse in his calm composure.

"A porridge shop? I didn't know you liked porridge that much."

"It was a mistake," he said, pausing long enough to glance at Ga Eul. "I mean, I was there accidentally. It was because of Jun Pyo."

"Well, what a lucky accident." Il Hyun smiled warmly and winked at Ga Eul.

"It was. I slipped and spilled water all over him. Or was that another time, Oppa?"

"It—"

"You know." Ga Eul leaned forward confidentially. "When I first met your brother, I didn't like him very much."

"Really? Hmm, that's interesting, my brother has always been good at charming women." Il Hyun let out a well-meaning chuckle. Then he leaned closer toward Ga Eul and said quietly, "But he can also be pretty insufferable. I know that from personal experience."

"Yes, well, like you said, he can be charming when he wants to be." Ga Eul shoved a bite of cake into her mouth.

"Pardon me for saying this," Il Hyun began, " and I don't mean it in a bad way, but you seem rather different from the sort of girls my younger brother usually dates."

"Mmm." Ga Eul swallowed the cake and set her fork down. She lazily stirred the Americano with her straw. "Well, he's rather different from the sort of men I usually date. It's incredible that we're together at all—almost _unbelievable_ , in fact." Ga Eul kicked Yi Jeong under the table again.

"It—" Yi Jeong began again.

"In fact, it happened very suddenly. Quite recently." Ga Eul kicked Yi Jeong's leg again and smiled sweetly. "As a matter of fact."

"Ah, look at the time. I think we better get going." Yi Jeong suddenly stood up from the table and held out his hand toward Ga Eul. "Your parents might get worried if I keep you out too late." He smiled lovingly at her, as though he were a perfectly normal, caring boyfriend. Ga Eul saw right through him, though—enough to see that he wanted to get out of there as much as she had before Eun Jae left the table. Eun Jae hadn't returned yet, though, and Ga Eul was starting to enjoy making Yi Jeong nervous for a change.

Looking coyly up at him, Ga Eul replied, "Yi Jeong-ah, this is nowhere near as late as when I get off work at the porridge shop. You know that." This was a lie, as the porridge shop was only open until 7:00 PM, and the clock on the cafe wall read 8:00 PM, but Il Hyun wouldn't know that. Turning her attention back to Il Hyun, she asked, "What were you saying?"

"Yes, well—" Yi Jeong began.

"Yi Jeong Sunbae?" a high-pitched voice interrupted them. Looking at the door, Ga Eul could see a beautiful curly-haired girl in black stilettos starting toward their table, her heels clacking against the marble-tiled floor. She must have been rich, judging from her handbag, which was a brand Ga Eul recognized from the stores she had gone shopping at with Jae Kyung. Eun Jae chose that moment to come out of the bathroom, brushing demurely past the girl on her way back to her seat.

"What are you doing here?" Yi Jeong replied, his tone sounding more irritated than curious.

"Having a late night treat, of course." The girl's shrill laughter echoed off the walls of the small café. "Maybe you'd like to join me?"

When Yi Jeong didn't answer, the girl turned to the table and, almost as if she just realized they were there, exclaimed, "Oh, but who are your friends? My name is Sunny. I went to high school at Shinhwa with Yi Jeong Sunbae." Her gleaming eyes flickered over Il Hyun and Eun Jae before lingering on Ga Eul for a long moment, her expression darkening distastefully until Yi Jeong cleared his throat.

"Ga Eul, we're leaving." His dark eyes had regained their confident shimmer, and he held out his arm decisively to her.

"Yi Jeong Sunbae! What are you doing with that…that… _commoner_?" Sunny spat out the last word.

Yi Jeong turned to face Sunny then, and even from the side Ga Eul could see a hint of murder in his eyes that she didn't understand.

"She's not even that pretty," Sunny mumbled even as she shrank underneath Yi Jeong's gaze.

"You," Yi Jeong said, a dark tone simmering behind his quiet words. "I don't recall inviting you over here. Apologize to her." He nodded toward Ga Eul.

Sunny looked dumbfounded. "Sunbae…" she pleaded softly.

"Apologize to her. Then take your friends," he said, nodding to two women lingering by the door, "and find someone else to throw your fifty dollar nose job at before I really make you apologize."

"Yi Jeong," Il Hyun said with a tone of warning as he pushed his chair back from the table and stood up. "Miss Sunny, unless you want to buy a coffee to go, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave. We're closing for the night. And besides that, you are insulting a guest of mine. If you will follow me this way." Il Hyun strode over to where the other girls were standing beside the counter and opened the door to usher them out.

Eun Jae stood also and busied herself with collecting the dishes. Ga Eul instinctively reached over to help her clear the table, but, upon touching one of Eun Jae's hands and meeting Eun Jae's hesitant gaze, Ga Eul drew back and decided to take the arm that had been offered to her.

Looping her arm through Yi Jeong's, Ga Eul allowed him to guide her out of the coffee shop and out into the parking lot to where his bright orange Lotus sat, gleaming under a street lamp like it had just come out of a showroom.

They had almost reached his car when Ga Eul pulled her arm back. They were out of sight of the café windows now, and there was no need to pretend any longer. She didn't know what to make of Yi Jeong's little display in front of Sunny, and she really didn't care. She just wanted to say her piece and get out of there.

Swiveling around to face Yi Jeong so that she stood between him and his beloved car, Ga Eul snapped, "Ya, why did you tell them I was your girlfriend? Why? I'm not some sort of consolation prize for you to parade around in front of your first love, okay?"

"Ah, Ga Eul-yang, just let me explain." Unfortunately, he had expected this sort of reaction from her-had feared it, really.

"Explain what? That your brother walks in with his fiancé and suddenly we're a couple? Why? So you can show him that you're not nearly as heartless as your Casanova reputation would have everyone believe?"

"That's not the reason."

"No? Then why? If you want me to leave you alone, why can't you just throw me under the bus the way Sunny did? It would hurt less because at least it would be sincere."

"Ga Eul-yang. Stop."

"Stop? You think it's that easy don't you? You push a button, and everyone does exactly what you want. Everyone is exactly where you want them."

"Ga Eul-yang."

"Well, I don't have time for your silly games anymore, Sunbae, especially when you never even give me an explanation—"

"I don't know, alright?" Yi Jeong burst out. "You were just there, and they were there, and it just came out that way." Ga Eul stood just a few feet away from him. Close enough for him to touch. Close enough for him to grab her hand and pull her to him and assure her he never meant to hurt her. He had never, ever meant to hurt her. Only he wouldn't dare do that, even if he had the courage, because her sharp gaze was glaring daggers into his tortured, treacherous soul.

"It just came out that way?" she finally said.

"Well…yeah." For once, Yi Jeong found himself at a loss for words to salvage the situation.

"It's all right, Sunbae." Her voice sounded cold, distant, the way it did when she told him she wouldn't come see him anymore. "I'm used to pretending with you by now. You don't have to pretend anymore tonight. I'm just going to catch the bus home." Then she brushed past him and retreated into the dimly lit street, moving quite rapidly considering her choice of shoes.

Somehow, he had managed to do it again. With her, he always went too far in one direction or the other, and now it had turned colder and later than Yi Jeong had realized. Rather automatically, he started chasing after her, just managing to catch up as she boarded a bus that had pulled up at a bus stop on the corner, presumably a bus headed to the less fashionable area where she lived. Only when he had boarded the bus himself and found the disgruntled bus driver looking at him expectantly did he realize he had never been on a bus before. Not a public transportation one, at least. Even when he had visited foreign countries, he had private cars to take him everywhere. He wasn't actually sure if they took cash or if he was supposed to have a pass like the other passengers who had got on before him.*

He looked at Ga Eul, who had seated herself toward the back, but she was staring out the window as though she hadn't noticed him get on.

"Ah," Yi Jeong began, pulling out his wallet. "Do you take cash?" He held out a 50,000 won* bill.

The driver looked like he was about to protest before Yi Jeong smiled and practically shoved the money into the driver's hand.

"Keep the change."

The bus wasn't crowded. Scattered throughout the bus sat an elderly couple, a few lone teenagers-probably returning from some sort of minimum wage job like the one Ga Eul had-and two weary-faced men in rumpled business suits. Walking toward the back, Yi Jeong thought about sitting next to Ga Eul, but as there were plenty of empty seats and she seemed intent on ignoring him, he sat in one of the open seats directly across from her. In fact, he liked this vantage point. He could study her this way, and unless she wanted to acknowledge his presence, she couldn't do anything about it.

Ga Eul had noticed when he got on the bus, and she didn't like it one bit. She had decided to ignore him all the way to her stop. It wasn't too far from the bus stop to her house, or her parents would be far more worried than they usually were whenever she had to work late.

_Just five stops, Ga Eul. Just five stops, and you won't have to see him again for four years. Maybe never._

Ga Eul heard it before she felt the bus jerk slightly: a loud pop on the right side of the bus, the side Yi Jeong was sitting on. The sound was loud enough to make her look over in his direction, and he looked as surprised as she was. They both glanced around for an explanation as the bus starting slowing down.


	4. Chapter 4

It was just Ga Eul's luck to have the bus break down while she was trying to get away from this mess of an evening. She could have waited for another bus or hailed a taxi, but she realized Yi Jeong was probably going to follow her anyway, and she didn't think she could stand being in an enclosed space with him much longer. Thankfully, there were plenty of people milling about in this part of the city, and she took off walking past the brightly lit restaurants and shops, her heels clacking against the concrete.

Her feet were going to be killing her by the end of the night. She could tell that from the blisters that were forming on the backs of her heels. That and the fact that these shoes were brand new and stiff as cardboard. But she wouldn't stop walking, and she wouldn't glance back to see if a certain someone was following her.

Behind her, she heard a group of girls giggling. Ahead of her, a car horn had gone off, and the night air pulsated with its incessant blaring. People streamed out of cafés and cell phone stores and chocolate shops, emerging momentarily into the yellow light from the street lamps and then disappearing into the shadows. Young couples held hands; elderly couples bought food from street vendors; and now and then a few children tugged at their mother's coats or pressed their faces up against a store window, their breath fogging up the glass. Walking along these streets every day, Ga Eul had always felt connected to the sea of people coming and going, leaving and returning, but tonight she felt isolated—like one person hadn't touched her and now the whole of humanity couldn't touch her either.

Impulsively, she turned off from the route she would have normally taken home and took a slight detour past a park in the area. Her mom had taken her and Jan Di to play there once when she was little, and she remembered being scared of a red and orange lion someone had expertly drawn in chalk on the concrete next to the slide.

The crowd thinned out as she went further along this path, and Ga Eul tried to walk faster despite her throbbing feet. Turning another corner, she could see in the distance a group of guys—all of them probably around her age or a little bit older—smoking cigarettes and hovering around one entrance to the park. Their sharp laughter echoed in the still night air, and Ga Eul suddenly realized there were now very few people around—a fact which she had been too absorbed in her thoughts to register before.

Spinning abruptly on her heel, Ga Eul took a few rapid steps in the direction she came from. As she rounded the corner again, she nearly collided with a man in a black suit. An expensive, one-of-a-kind, tailor-made black suit. A suit only a member of the F4 would wear.

As if he'd been expecting her for some time, Yi Jeong grinned when she looked up at him.

"Miss me?" he asked.

Ga Eul scoffed.

"Who's missing who? Excuse me."

She tried to shove past him, but he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back, almost making her lose her balance.

"Hey, aren't we headed to your house? Why are you going back that way?"

Ga Eul jerked her arm from his grasp.

"Because I don't want to walk this way anymore. Besides, this isn't the way to my house."

"So we walked all this way for nothing?" A look of incredulity passed over Yi Jeong's face, one so utterly child-like that Ga Eul might have laughed if she hadn't been so upset with him.

" _We_ did not walk all this way for anything. I just wanted to…see something here, that's all."

Over Ga Eul's dead body would she admit that walking alone out here so late at night actually quite terrified her—that the only reason she had walked this far by herself was because she had been fairly certain he was close behind her the whole time.

That said, she had hardly taken another step in the direction they had come from when Yi Jeong stepped in front of her. She stepped to the right, and he stepped with her. Then to the left and there he was again, blocking her way. His dark eyes had turned serious, and she didn't know what that meant, and she didn't know that she wanted to find out.

"Yi Jeong Sunbae, please let me go by."

"Not until you answer a question."

"I don't have anything else to say to you tonight. As you so accurately pointed out at the coffee shop, it's getting late, and my parents are going to be worried."

She moved, and he jumped in front of her, this time causing her to run into him again. For a brief moment, she breathed in the spiciness of his cologne mixed with an earthy scent that probably came from him working with clay so much. Or maybe that was just her. She had been handling pottery earlier that day, too, in his workshop. In fact, she had been doing pottery for almost three months because of him.

Backing up, she crossed her arms and looked away. For a long moment, they just stood there.

Then Ga Eul said, "Answer me a question, then, Sunbae." The statement was directed more at the trees in the distance, as Ga Eul refused to look at him, and so she wasn't sure he heard her at first as a short silence ensued.

"Okay," he finally said. "Go ahead and ask then."

Stepping back from him a few paces, Ga Eul asked, "What is my favorite color?"

"What?" Yi Jeong blinked.

"My favorite color," Ga Eul repeated, standing up a little straighter and finally looking him in the eye. "What is it? You should know that. I am your _girlfriend_ after all."

"Ah, Ga Eul yang…"

Ga Eul shoved her hands into her coat pockets and stared at him, unblinking.

"Fine. Fine, I know. Your favorite color is red."

Ga Eul glanced down at her red pumps then back up at him. She raised her eyebrows.

"Wrong. If I could go to one place in the world, where would it be?"

"Ah?...Ah, Ga Eul-yang likes the beach."

"There are a million beaches in the world, Sunbae. You're going to have to be more specific."

Yi Jeong paused and tried to remember her saying anything about traveling before or about any places she wanted to go. But that really could be anywhere, couldn't it? From the awed look on her face whenever she took trips with the F4 and Jan Di, Yi Jeong gathered she hadn't been to many places, even within Korea. However, that meant Ga Eul would probably choose some cliché romantic tourist destination she'd read about in school.

"You really don't know, do you?"

"Hawaii?" Yi Jeong guessed. Noting the doubtful look in Ga Eul's eyes, he tried again, "Paris? Ah, I know!" He snapped his fingers. "Venice!"

"Pabo," Ga Eul mumbled and rolled her eyes.

"Ah, I know, the place isn't important."

"What?"

"The place isn't important," Yi Jeong stated confidently, "as long as you're with someone you like. Isn't that it? Romantics like you would say that. That was a trick question."

"No it wasn't! And who says I have to go to this place with anyone? You got the question wrong."

"That's not fair. You're asking me things you never told me about."

"I'm asking you things you never asked me about."

"Same thing. At least I know all the important stuff about you."

"Such as? No, I know, I know. I'm good and stupid and a friend of a friend. I got that already."

"I never said you're stupid. I said you're foolish. And you are." _For liking me,_ he added mentally.

"Is that it? Is that all you know?"

"I know you like food." Yi Jeong grinned then, and Ga Eul glared at him. "And beaches and ice cream cakes and makeup and being dressed up like a princess."

"Bravo, Sunbae. You just described most of the women on the planet." Ga Eul moved abruptly and managed to get around him to continue walking back to the main street.

Unperturbed, Yi Jeong strode up beside her and kept her pace.

"Hey! Let's play a game."

"Aren't we already?"

"What?"

"I don't like games, Sunbae."

"That's nonsense. You're the one who suggested 'Truth or Dare,' remember?"

Ga Eul throws a sideways glance at him. "I'm not playing that with just you. There's no telling what you'll dare me to do."

"Don't flatter yourself too much, Ga Eul-yang."

"Yes, Sunbae," Ga Eul deadpanned.

"So, shall we begin? I'll be a gentleman and let you start."

Ga Eul kicked at a pebble on the sidewalk. She knew what she wanted to ask him, and she definitely wasn't asking that.

"Ga Eul-yang?" Yi Jeong waved his hand in front Ga Eul's face.

Ga Eul shooed his hand away and shuffled away from him slightly, at least as far as she could while staying on the sidewalk.

"Will you cut it out? Fine. Truth or dare?"

"Dare."

Ga Eul had expected him to reply 'Truth.' What could she dare him to do at this time of night? Actually, on second thought, she shouldn't think about that. Ga Eul shook her head.

Thankfully, inspiration struck just then, as they'd managed to reach a more populated area. Grabbing Yi Jeong by the arm, Ga Eul pulled him across the street.


	5. Chapter 5

"That's the second time tonight you've called me your girlfriend," Ga Eul complained exasperatedly.

"You know, for someone who once asked _me_ out, I should think you'd be overjoyed."

"Wow, my mom said boys are really dumb, but I never believed they were this dumb until right now."

"There goes that mouth again. Didn't anyone ever teach you to respect your superiors?"

"You're older than me. That doesn't make you superior to me in any respect."

"Doesn't money make one person another's superior?"

"There's a lot of people with money who are complete cowards, so no."

"Ah, but Ga Eul-yang isn't scared of anything, not even that gang in the park back there."

"Who said anything about a gang?"

"I wonder how many knives they had between them."

"Sunbae!"

"Are you two going to order?" A middle-aged lady stood in front of them who Ga Eul thought owned the restaurant. She had immediately deduced that Yi Jeong and Ga Eul were a couple when they came in and had seated them at a table in a dimly lit corner. Of course, Yi Jeong had played along with the ridiculous idea like he had been for the entire evening. At least now it was payback time.

_He has no idea what he's in for_ , Ga Eul happily thought, becoming practically giddy at the genius of her idea. She was still upset with him, but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to be quite mad at him anymore. The fury she had felt earlier had dissipated little by little as she had walked toward the park, and now that she sat across from him, the butterflies in her stomach had returned. She stared at a newspaper clipping on one of the walls and tried to breathe normally.

"Jagiya? What are we having?"

Ga Eul shot her head back to Yi Jeong, who wore a smug grin. She stared at him for a long, hard second then answered, "Chitlins."

"We'll take an order of chitlins, please," she said to the lady, who nodded her head and marched over to an adjacent table.

"Chitlins?" Yi Jeong asked when the lady had gone.

After gulping down some of her water, Ga Eul answered seriously, "Yes, they're very good. You can call them a commoner's delicacy."

"If they're so good, why didn't you place two orders then? I'm starving. And when are you going to give me my dare?"

"Be patient," Ga Eul said, glancing toward the entrance to the restaurant. "Unless you want to kiss the next person that walks in the door, instead."

Yi Jeong leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "That could be a hot young model, you know." Though he doubted it, from the looks of the place.

Ga Eul smiled. "But it isn't. Look." She nodded toward the entrance, and Yi Jeong turned his head. A balding elderly man entered just then, yelling something at the lady who had taken their order and waving his cane so wildly it almost knocked over a whole row of glasses from a countertop. The ruckus continued for a few minutes as she attempted to calm him down, drawing the attention of most of the other patrons as well.

"What a shame he had to be dragged out before we made eye contact. It could have been love at first sight," Yi Jeong commented when the man had been effectively removed from the premises.

"You don't believe in that, remember?"

"I said it _could_ have been. Do you really believe I'd end up with _him_?"

"If it's meant to be, it's meant to be," Ga Eul said knowledgeably.

"Then that has to be the best argument for fighting fate I've come across," Yi Jeong muttered. Only it wasn't really. Both of his parents had been shoved into a loveless marriage for the sake of upholding the family name both in social status and economic security, and as soon as he had been born he became a mere asset in the whole business deal. His brother, it turned out, had been a liability, but at least now he seemed content with his small café and his budding relationship. Yi Jeong envied him in that respect.

Looking around, though, Yi Jeong couldn't exactly say he wouldn't miss all the comforts and luxuries of life his position had afforded him if he found himself cut off from the family one day. It looked like his long-ago wish to experience a commoner date was coming back to haunt him. The place they had come to was little more than a dingy hole-in-the-wall with stools instead of chairs, scratched and weather-beaten wooden tables, and yellowed newspaper clippings framed on the wall from some distant heyday in the restaurant's history. To be honest, Yi Jeong had almost been tempted to wipe the seat before he sat down. Although he couldn't see anyone smoking, a thin haze of smoke hung over everything, appearing vaguely tangible in the dim yellow light from overhead. Furthermore, he couldn't help but notice that all the other patrons had been whispering and staring at him and Ga Eul—almost like they were about to start snapping pictures—ever since they had walked in the door. Being stared at wasn't an unusual occurrence for Yi Jeong by any means, but tonight it annoyed him if for no other reason than that he had thought he would be spending the evening with Ga Eul, just Ga Eul, and once again they had been interrupted.

A few minutes later, however, Yi Jeong began to seriously question the safety of being left alone with Ga Eul as someone deposited a mass of rubbery looking meat into the skillet in the center of their table.

"Here is your dare," Ga Eul stated calmly. "Have you ever eaten intestines before?"

"Ah, so you want me to eat half of the skillet?" he asked, trying to sound disinterested.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm not that mean. That would be too much for your delicate stomach," Ga Eul said, pouring herself some water from the pitcher on the table. "Just, umm…five? I'll eat the rest."

"Five," Yi Jeong repeated dumbly, staring at the chitlins gurgling in the pan.

"Jun Pyo ate a whole plate of those for Jan Di, although I could tell he hated them. I thought it was rather romantic," Ga Eul said, spearing one and popping it into her mouth. "But if you don't think you can handle it, I'll eat them all." Ga Eul reached over to put a few more on her plate. It wasn't exactly a lie. Jun Pyo had eaten _one_ before, and he _had_ hated it, and it _had_ been because he was so gut-wrenchingly enthralled with her best friend.

"Ani, ani, how do you eat so much anyway and stay so thin?" Yi Jeong stabbed at one and held it in front of his mouth, feeling fairly nauseated but trying hard not to look like it.

Ga Eul shrugged and slowed down on pulling the chitlins out of the pan, suddenly a bit embarrassed of her eating habits.

"It's good, I guess."

"Huh?"

"At least I won't have to worry about you starving to death while I'm gone."

He said it in an offhanded way, but from the way his eyes focused in on the chitlin he held aloft, instead of on her, Ga Eul could tell he actually did care about her well-being, though to what extent Ga Eul still couldn't figure out.

"I can take care of myself, Sunbae," she responded simply.

He shifted his eyes back to her, regaining his usual mischevious demeanor.

"What? No 'Oppa,' now?"

"Pabo," Ga Eul muttered.

Yi Jeong laughed, but Ga Eul glared at him.

"Are you going to eat that at some point tonight?" Ga Eul pointed at his chitlin with one of her chopsticks. "It's going to get cold if you just keep waving it around in the air."

"Ga Eul-yang?"

"Hmm?"

"Truth or Dare?"

"Nope. You haven't finished your dare yet." Ga Eul's tone held a warning.

"Alright, alright." Yi Jeong looked at the greasy intestine between his two chopsticks for another long, hard second, then popped it into his mouth, chewing quickly, and swallowed.

It wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. Definitely not anything he would be requesting from his kitchen at home but not completely unbearable. Still…

"Ga Eul?"

"Hmm?"

"Do I really have to eat four more? Don't you think you've done enough damage for one evening?"

_Damage_. Ga Eul chewed her food more slowly.

Of course! How could she forget?! She'd destroyed one of his masterpieces earlier that evening, an event that seemed to have happened days ago.

She swallowed.

"Ah, Sunbae, I'll replace…well, I can't really replace it, but what I mean is I'll—"

"So work it off."

"What?"

"You owe me one piece of pottery every month for the next four years. I'll give you the address to ship them to in Sweden."

Ga Eul blinked and nearly dropped her chopsticks.

"That's twelve a year," Yi Jeong continued, "which comes to forty-eight pieces in total if we're going by a full four year—"

"Hey! Who says I'm going to keep doing pottery?"

Yi Jeong looked almost surprised by her statement.

"You like doing pottery. I can tell by the way you handle it. You were actually looking at the pots instead of me earlier."

"Before, you also said I liked Jun Pyo Sunbae," Ga Eul retorted. "Don't be so sure of yourself."

"Either way you owe me a debt." Yi Jeong leaned in closer to her, as close as he could without burning himself on the skillet. "Unless you want me to come up with another method of repayment."

Ga Eul looked up at him then, wide-eyed, and blushed profusely.

"Aniyo, aniyo." She shook her head. "I can do pottery."

Yi Jeong leaned back in his chair again, a contented smirk on his face at seeing Ga Eul flustered once again. If he had thought she had been eating fast before, now she had taken to stuffing the chitlins in several at a time.

Finally she stopped and looked back at him.

"But can we make it one every other month?" Looking down at her plate again, she mumbled, "Shipping fees are kind of expensive."

Yi Jeong sighed.

"Yes, all right, I suppose waitressing doesn't pay that much."

"You've got that right," Ga Eul said, shoving another chitlin into her mouth.

"I'll make sure Woo Bin and Ji Hoo stop by the porridge shop every now and then. That ought to bring in customers."

Ga Eul smiled. "I think Master might like that."

"Are you going to answer now? Truth or dare?"

"But—"

"And don't tell me I have to finish my dare because you just ate the last chitlin."

Ga Eul glanced up at him and then back down at the now-empty skillet and, if possible, turned a brighter shade of red than she had a few minutes before.

"Oh," she replied.

"Come on, come on, truth or dare?"

Setting her chopsticks down gingerly, Ga Eul picked up her cup of water and took a sip.

"Truth," she said, setting the cup down.

"Why did you go out with Su Pyo?"

For a moment, Ga Eul froze.

"What?" she finally answered. "How did you remember that all of a sudden?"

Yi Jeong shrugged but didn't say anything. He looked at her expectantly, like some great truth about the inner life of Ga Eul would be revealed by her answer. She should disappoint him, but one unfortunate truth about Ga Eul was that she was a horrible liar.

"He reminded me of my older brother," she said. "Does that answer your question?"

Yi Jeong looked surprised.

"I didn't know you had a brother," he said.

"I don't. He's dead," Ga Eul said flatly. She bit her lip. "Truth or dare?"

"I'm sorry."

Ga Eul gulped the rest of the water in her glass down and poured herself the remaining water in the pitcher.

"It's okay, Sunbae. He passed away seven years ago. He died in a car accident when I was twelve. His name was Min Hyuk." Ga Eul paused, unsure of whether she wanted to continue.

Yi Jeong could sense Ga Eul didn't talk about her brother often, and he waited patiently for her to continue.

"After my brother died," she resumed, "I saved all of his CDs and listened to them over and over, even the stuff I didn't like. Su Pyo…He came into the porridge shop one day and sat in my section. Jan Di wasn't there. I think maybe Jun Pyo had stolen her away somewhere." She was quiet again for a moment. "When he sat down, he was listening to some music on his phone. He had his headphones on. When I came over to take his order, I noticed it was one of my brother's favorite bands, and we started talking about them. I could tell he was a bit rough around the edges. My brother was like that, too, I guess. He was always getting into trouble." Ga Eul shook her head. "I was just good, unexciting Ga Eul. Talking to him was like having a bit of my brother back for just a moment. Then he turned out to be a complete jerk. That's why I was so upset that day."

"Do I remind you of your brother?" The question came out of his mouth unbidden, though he'd been trying to figure out for a while what exactly she saw in him beyond the obvious money and good looks everyone else saw.

"Yes," she stated emphatically and looked up at him again. "You are annoying, just like him. And that was two questions instead of one." Ga Eul wiped her mouth on a paper napkin. "Anyway, it's getting late. We should probably—"

"I'll pay." Yi Jeong pulled out his wallet.

"Ani, this was my idea. Besides, you didn't really eat anything, and it's probably the only time in my life I'll be able to afford buying a meal for one of the F4." Ga Eul smiled as she pulled her money out of her purse and began counting.

Once Ga Eul had paid and they had set out once again into the crisp, cool night air, Ga Eul said, "Well, you bought me dinner before, and now I've bought you dinner, so we're even on that count. Truth or dare, Sunbae?"

"Dare."

"Are you actually going to do it this time?" Ga Eul turned around to face him, walking backward, and shot him an accusing look.

"Anything for you, Ga Eul-yang."

Ga Eul didn't believe him, but she forged ahead anyway.

"All right, but we have to walk a little further before we get there." Ga Eul set off walking again, keeping herself a little ways in front of Yi Jeong.

"And Sunbae," she called out. "You're going to have to take off that coat and tie for this one."


	6. Chapter 6

They had been walking for another twenty minutes or so in silence, side by side, when Ga Eul started humming a tune Yi Jeong couldn't quite make out. It felt like they were the only two people in the world, and Yi Jeong wanted to pretend for the moment that they were. Tomorrow, he would settle the rest of his affairs at school and review the plans for his arrival in Sweden. He would greet his father coldly when they met with his grandfather to discuss plans for the museum in Yi Jeong's absence. He would walk numbly into his mother's hospital room and kiss her on the forehead while she was still sedated and tell her he loved her while she couldn't hear him. Tomorrow, he might drink himself into another stupor under the weight of it all or find a few women whose names meant nothing to him, whose faces he would soon forget, to distract himself from his bitter musings. Tonight, though, he was just a guy walking a girl home. A good guy walking a good girl home, even.

They had reached a residential area with houses and small, gated yards when Ga Eul halted abruptly. When Yi Jeong turned around to see what had happened, he saw her taking her red pumps off. Then she walked up to the wall bordering one house and promptly flung her shoes over.

"What did you do that for?"

Ga Eul smiled broadly.

"Welcome to your second dare, Sunbae. You asked for it."

Ga Eul leaned up against the wall and slowly tilted her head up and then back down. It took a moment, but Yi Jeong finally realized what she was doing.

"Ga Eul, you're not serious."

"Serious about what?"

Yi Jeong scoffed and looked out into the street.

"Yi Jeong Sunbae," Ga Eul continued. "Are you really going to make me walk home barefoot? And have to explain to my poor mother how I lost my brand new shoes after working my fingers to the bone scrubbing dishes every day?"

Yi Jeong looked at her like he wasn't buying it.

"That's trespassing."

"Oh, please. Don't tell me you've never done anything illegal before. And I thought money made you superior to everyone else. What? Can't buy your way out of jail?"

"You can't buy your way of tabloids. That's what you can't—"

"Come on, Sunbae," Ga Eul grabbed his arm and dragged him toward the house. "I know the owners of this house. They aren't home." Walking around to the gate, she beckoned him to look. "See? Their car's not there."

"How do I even know they have a car?"

"Sunbae, this pavement's not very comfortable."

"I can't believe this. Only you would do something this childish."

"Sunbae, that's a brand new pair of shoes. Unless, of course, you'd like to loan me yours?"

Yi Jeong glanced down at the pavement, then back at the house, then back at Ga Eul.

"Let me get this straight. All I have to do is climb over and get your shoes for you?"

"Yes."

"That's the whole dare."

"Mm-hmm." Ga Eul nodded.

Yi Jeong searched Ga Eul's face. She looked sincere. But then again, she had fooled him once—that time in New Caledonia when he heard her scream and thought she was being attacked.

Ah, what the heck. He had nothing better to do anyway.

Yi Jeong shrugged his coat off and handed it to her. Ga Eul slung the coat over her arm.

"And your tie."

Yi Jeong cocked an eyebrow.

"So it won't get caught on anything."

Yi Jeong sighed and handed the tie to her as well. She stuffed his tie into her coat pocket.

Grabbing ahold of the gate post, he stepped up and then stepped up a bit higher and hoisted himself over the wall.

Climbing over was the easy part, but once he got into the yard, Yi Jeong realized he could hardly see a thing. The house was, indeed, submerged in darkness, as though no one was home and whoever lived there wasn't expected to return any time that night. He had felt something like a hard knot, though, under his feet when he landed, but he wasn't sure if the knot had moved after that or if he had.

After a moment, he spotted Ga Eul's shoes lying a few feet away along the perimeter of the wall. He had just reached over to pick them up when he heard a low growl in the direction he had come from.

Yi Jeong froze, his fingers barely clutching the shoes.

He heard a chain rustling, and the growl grew stronger—a deep rumble that came incrementally closer as Yi Jeong slowly slid the shoes toward himself and stood up. At the last moment, when it seemed the growl was nearly right on top of him, Yi Jeong bolted for the wall. In his hurry to scramble up, he lost his footing, however, and fell onto his back just as the largest, hairiest dog he had ever seen lunged at him, barking maniacally. Recovering quickly, Yi Jeong grabbed Ga Eul's shoes once more and took off running for the front gate. As he climbed over, the dog managed to grab one of his pant legs, but Yi Jeong easily shook him off, jerking his leg forward so abruptly he almost lost his balance again. When he finally landed on the other side of the gate, the dog's protests had reached such a frantic level, he wouldn't have been surprised if the neighbors on either side came out to investigate him for breaking and entering.

Ga Eul, for her part, stood across from him out in the middle of the street, holding one hand over her mouth and the other one over her stomach and laughing hysterically.

"That's Fat Cat," she finally said when she caught her breath.

"That…" Yi Jeong breathed heavily. "…was a cat?!"

Ga Eul shook her head. "No, silly. Fat Cat's the name of the dog. He's missing most of his teeth. His owners have to feed him soft foods. Gives new meaning to the phrase, 'All bark and no bite,' doesn't it?"

"He still has claws, doesn't he?" Yi Jeong grumbled, more than a bit annoyed.

"I think his owners file those."

"You think?"

"Will you relax? He's chained up and completely harmless."

"Completely harmless." Yi Jeong looked incredulous. "Why didn't you tell me he was in there?!"

"Because…" Ga Eul had started crying admist her giggles now. "Because you should have seen the look on your face." Then Ga Eul dissolved into another fit of laughter.

Yi Jeong knew he should have been mad. After all, the dress pants that dumb dog probably just ruined cost more than Ga Eul would make in a year working at that porridge shop. But the longer he watched her giggling the more he couldn't help but smile and even laugh a little himself.

Such an utterly ridiculous prank. Only Ga Eul would subject him to something like that.

Only Ga Eul could subject him to something like that and get away with it.

"You got me Ga Eul-yang." Yi Jeong stood up and brushed some dirt off of his dress pants. "But aren't you forgetting something?"

Ga Eul had finally slowed down on her laughter, enough to mumble, "What?" as she wiped tears from her cheeks with her fingertips.

Yi Jeong held up her shoes.

"You've still got to get these back from me."

Ga Eul sniffed and wiped the last of the tears away. To his surprise, she smiled at him.

"It's okay, Sunbae. You can keep them." Turning away, she started walking down the street again, a certain bounce in her step.

"You're going to walk barefoot all the way to your house?" Yi Jeong called after her.

"I'm a commoner. We were born barefoot," Ga Eul sang, skipping a little as she twirled around to face him. "Come on, Sunbae. It's getting late." Ga Eul grinned at him and kept walking toward the other end of the street. Truth be told, Ga Eul felt relieved to have her shoes off. The cold pavement felt nice on the aching soles of her feet, although she had to keep her eyes alert for broken glass on the ground.

Nevertheless, when Yi Jeong finally caught up with her and practically shoved her shoes back into her hand, she slipped them on without complaint.

Yi Jeong felt torn between throttling her and kissing her senseless as they walked on in silence again for a few minutes until they were finally just a block over from Ga Eul's house.

This time it was Yi Jeong who stopped abruptly and spoke up.

"Hey Ga Eul-yang. Truth or dare?"

Ga Eul stopped too, right under a streetlamp, and turned toward him.

"Truth," she answered.

"Don't you think I'm entitled to give you at least one dare? After all of that?"

Ga Eul said nothing to this. His voice sounded deeper now, the way it got when he meant business.

"How about this? If I ask you something and you don't want to answer, you can do a dare instead. That's the way the game normally works, isn't it?"

Ga Eul nodded slowly. Perhaps she had pushed her luck too far. She had been having too much fun earlier to think about how badly this could backfire on her. It sure sunk in now as Yi Jeong walked up closer to her.

He studied her for a moment.

"If you could ask me for anything—just one thing—and I had to give it to you, what would it be?"

 _Your heart_ , Ga Eul almost replied but stopped herself, shutting her mouth before it could fully open.

"And it has to be something I have. I'm not God, you know." As he said this, though, Yi Jeong drew himself up in a manner that said he was as close to God as any mere mortal could be.

 _From where I stand, you might as well be_ , Ga Eul thought. _If I could ask you for anything…_

She couldn't tell him what she really wanted from him. She couldn't go through all of that again, but she didn't want to make something up either, especially not anything that cost money. Then she'd be no different from the throng of girls who threw themselves at him everywhere he went.

Why was he making her go back over this? Hadn't she made herself clear enough the night she got rejected by him? Well, she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of hearing it again, if that's what he was going for. She was simply going to have to come up with a clever answer—one that would satisfy him and not give herself away.

 _Think, pabo_ , she berated herself.

"Ga Eul-yang? Fat Cat got your tongue?"

"Give me a minute. I'm thinking."

"Isn't there a time limit to that?"

"If you would stop talking, I could think of an answer."

"Just say the first thing that comes into your head."

"Yi Jeong Sunbae."

"Ga Eul-yang, I already know you like saying my name. I just want to hear what comes after that."

"Pabo."

Yi Jeong laughed.

"You don't know, do you?"

"Maybe I don't know."

"Not knowing isn't an answer."

"You're asking me something I've never thought about."

"But I'm asking you something you should know."

"Well, I don't, and that's that."

"Well, I guess it's time for your dare then." Yi Jeong moved in a little closer to her, and Ga Eul half-consciously backed into the wall behind her.

"I don't have to do a dare," Ga Eul replied, standing up straighter, though her voice trembled slightly. "'I don't know' is a perfectly acceptable answer."

"It wasn't when you were asking me questions earlier."

"Well…that was different."

"No, you're not getting away with that, Ga Eul-yang." Yi Jeong's had gotten quieter, and although Ga Eul knew deep down she shouldn't be frightened, she shivered slightly.

Yi Jeong knew he was making her nervous; he saw how her hand drifted to the hem of her coat and squeezed it when he came closer—an unconscious, nervous gesture of hers he had noticed before. Her protests, too, had gotten softer and softer until the last one that was just barely audible. Then she just stared up at him with uncertain eyes like he could either kill her or heal her with a single touch.

He could do that to women—make them fall under his spell with a single look and a few well-timed words. He had been well aware of this power ever since he had been old enough to be interested in them. He just couldn't remember the last time he wanted to do that to someone so bad.

He couldn't remember the last time it wasn't women he wanted but just one woman—the one standing in front him.

A mere girl by his usual standards.

Unbelievably close and impossibly out of reach.

"Dance with me," he said after a long moment.

He stood so close to Ga Eul at this point that she feared she would fall into him.

"What?" she replied, feeling a little dizzy.

"Dance with me." He smiled kindly at her then. "I just realized I've danced with Jan Di-ah before but never with you."

Grabbing her hands, he walked backwards and pulled her to the middle of the street.

"B-but Sunbae," Ga Eul half-heartedly protested. She wasn't worried about them getting run over. No cars had passed by for a while, and there probably wouldn't be many for the rest of the night. It was just that, well, she'd have to get even closer to him, and, besides that, she couldn't dance very well. And the neighbors…

"We don't have any music," she mumbled.

Pulling his cell phone out of his pocket, Yi Jeong waved it in front of her.

"That's what these are for, Ga Eul-yang."

"Oh," she said as she helplessly watched him search for a song.

After a moment, a slow song came on that she had never heard before. One in English that Ga Eul, with her terribly basic understanding of the language, couldn't even begin to decipher. However, it made sense that someone as well-traveled and as well-educated as him would pick a foreign song. It sounded pretty, and Ga Eul didn't protest anymore when Yi Jeong took one of her hands and gently pulled her to him, resting his other hand on the small of her back.

He took a step forward, and so did she, causing her to step on his foot.

Immediately, she jumped back, and Yi Jeong smirked but kept a firm grip on her.

"Ga Eul-yang, you know the man is supposed to lead, right?"

"Ah, yes…right…sorry." She stepped back a bit further and glanced nervously at their feet and then back up at him.

"It's okay." His tone was soft, reassuring. "I'm going to step forward with my left foot first, so just follow me from there."

Looking into his eyes, Ga Eul nodded.

He drew her in a bit closer to him again, and they started over. Soon, Ga Eul's feet were moving in the right direction automatically, though she didn't know how, as they made a circle of sorts in the middle of the road.

Yi Jeong spun her around a few times, each time bringing her back to him a little bit closer than he had before. Or maybe that was just Ga Eul's imagination.

All she knew was that by the time the song ended and they stopped moving, he held her so tightly that if anyone had been peering out of their windows at that moment, they might have thought they were seeing two lovers locked in an embrace.

They stood impossibly still, Yi Jeong with his arm wrapped entirely around her waist and Ga Eul with her eyes trained on a loose thread on the shoulder of his coat. She rubbed her fingers against the fabric, hardly wanting to breathe for fear time would start again and he would let go of her.

But let go he did, stepping back abruptly and bowing… _bowing_ …of all things.

"Thank you, Ga Eul-yang," he said, "and may I say you are much better dancer than Jan Di-ah? But please don't tell her I said that." Yi Jeong winked at her and bent down to pick up his phone, which had been resting on the ground.

Ga Eul shivered as a sudden gust of cold night air came rushing over her, shaking the trees in the yard across the street.

"We're almost at your house, aren't we," Yi Jeong stated more than asked. "Come on, Let's get you home before it gets colder out here." He held out his arm to her like he had that very first night she went out with him.

Numbly—and still in a bit of a daze—Ga Eul walked over to him and hooked her arm through his.

They set off again, and no one spoke until they reached the front of Ga Eul's house.

Yi Jeong pulled his arm away from hers when they reached the gate.

"Thank you," he said.

Ga Eul missed him holding onto her already.

"What are you thanking me for?" she asked.

"For letting a bad guy walk you home."

"You're all right, Sunbae," she stated calmly, with that air of knowing something he didn't. Then her expression suddenly grew panicked. "But Sunbae, your car is at the café! How are you going to get home?"

Yi Jeong chuckled and pulled out his phone again. "You know you can use phones to call people too, right?"

"Ah, right…Of course."

"I just messaged my driver, so he should be here to pick me up soon." Yi Jeong pocketed his phone and stuff his hands in his coat pockets.

His driver. Suddenly the few feet between them felt like a chasm again to Ga Eul.

"I'll wait with you until he gets here," she offered.

"You don't have to. Go inside and warm up." Yi Jeong nodded towards Ga Eul's front gate.

"Aniyo, I can stay outside a few more minutes."

"Suit yourself." Yi Jeong leaned up against the wall beside the gate.

Ga Eul walked over to stand beside him and leaned against the wall too.

"Sunbae?"

"Hmm?"

"When are you flying out?"

"A week from tomorrow."

Ga Eul nodded, letting this information sink in.

Yi Jeong suspected that the other F3 would be throwing a surprise going-away party for him, but he wasn't sure what kind or if Jan Di would even be invited, so he decided not to mention it to Ga Eul. What she never knew wouldn't hurt her. At any event, he would like to say goodbye to her the way they were—just the two of them and the quiet expanse of night. He was trying to figure out how to go about that when she spoke again.

"Sunbae?"

"Hmm?"

As Ga Eul turned toward him, the bright headlights of a car coming down the street assaulted her eyes. Recognizing it as the Cadillac his driver drove, she froze, unable to muster the words out in the bright light.

"Ah, that was fast," she said instead.

"Of course it was. What was it you said? I can snap my fingers and make anything happen?" Yi Jeong said, stepping out toward the street just as the car pulled up next to the curb. He turned back to Ga Eul to say something then—something along the lines of 'take care' or 'have a good life'—but before he could say anything she had pulled him into a crushing hug.

Crushingly quick too. It seemed like he had barely settled his arms around her before she pulled back and stepped out of his reach.

Her hand settled on the gate latch.

"I'll miss you." She clicked the latch open. "Yi Jeong-ah."

Then she pushed the gate open, slammed it shut, and ran inside and up the stairs to her room. Slamming her back against her bedroom door, she slid down to a sitting position and just kept breathing erratically and slightly trembling for the next few minutes.

When she finally gathered the courage to look out of the window, Yi Jeong's car had disappeared, but when she went to take her coat off, she discovered his black and gray tie still buried in her coat pocket.

She should return it to him.

She would return it to him, she promised herself.

First thing in the morning, she decided, even as she placed it carefully in a drawer next to the silk handkerchief and the silk scarf she always saved for rainy days.

If she forgot to return it to him, it was a small crime anyway compared to what he had stolen from her.

And she didn't think he would ever return that.


	7. Chapter 7

Guilt had finally gotten the better of her.

That and maybe a bit of embarrassment. After all, she was the one who had made him take his tie off in the first place. He had probably realized she still had it once he had gotten home…and expected her to return it to him…and would only mock her for holding onto it like a lovesick fangirl.

Despite that, she hadn't heard from him or tried to contact him since the night he had walked her home the week before, figuring that if he wanted to see her again before he left he would find some excuse to do so. However, it was now the night before his departure date, and she hadn't even heard about so much as a going-away dinner until this evening when she had received a text message from Yi Jeong.

The message read: _Hey Ga Eul, Woo Bin is throwing a private going-away party for me at this address. Give them your name at the door, and they should let you in._

She had tried to call him right after she received the message, but he never picked up, so she had taken a cab to the address he had sent to her. Now she stood in front of a high-end club in Cheongdam-dong, clutching a gift bag that contained Yi Jeong's tie and some cookies she had baked earlier that day. A slender woman in a tight black miniskirt and Louboutins entered the establishment just as Ga Eul reached the front entrance. Several couples dressed to the nines entered behind the woman, followed by a group of several women around Ga Eul's age sporting similar high heels and high-end evening bags. Ga Eul recognized one of the expensive labels—Louis Vuitton—but not the others.

Glancing down at her own scuffed black pumps and almost knee-length gray skirt over black tights, Ga Eul seriously doubted her ability to convince security that she belonged there. Clutching the bag tighter between her fingers, she took a deep breath.

Ignoring the line snaking around the building and taking a few tentative steps toward the security guards, Ga Eul called out, "Excuse me, but my name is Chu Ga Eul. I'm a friend of—"

"Yes, you're expected in one of the private VIP rooms," one of the security guards answered nonchalantly, as though they had been expecting her. "Yeon Ryu will take you there." The security guard gestured to a woman standing just inside the entrance, the same woman Ga Eul had seen go inside when she first arrived. Giving Ga Eul a quick once-over, the woman turned on her heel and strutted off, leaving Ga Eul to catch up to her as she walked into the inner quarters of the club.

Inside the club, hip-hop music pounded out of loudspeakers at an ear-numbing decibel. Multi-colored strobe lights stretched out over the huge main dance floor, flickering over the faces of those stylish partygoers who had already had one too many and those who were just getting started. The layout of the club looked similar to the high-end one Yi Jeong had taken her to once before, although this one featured purple and black décor and alcoves stretching almost all the way around the building on the second and third stories. As the model led Ga Eul through the thick crowd of gyrating dancers and cryogenic smoke, Ga Eul couldn't help but notice how people paused to stare at her—though not intensely enough to appear as though they cared who she was. Sometimes they briefly whispered to the person next to them, their lips turning up in an amused smirk not unlike the one Yi Jeong often wore. Other times, someone's gaze drifted lazily over Ga Eul before flitting on disinterestedly to the lady next to Ga Eul or to someone else Ga Eul couldn't see. Scantily clad waitresses dressed in designer heels, tight white blouses, and black miniskirts passed Ga Eul, carrying fancy drinks to the carousing businessmen upstairs. Ga Eul thought her guide might lead her up the stairs, but instead she found herself directed into a guarded elevator at the opposite end of the club from where she had come in. Getting into the elevator, she noticed that the building had five floors, and she was headed to the fifth one.

The elevator opened up a moment later to reveal an even wilder crowd in an open space that reminded Ga Eul of a penthouse.

This penthouse featured plush sofas in shades of purple and gray on the end closest to Ga Eul, a magnificent open bar in the center, and a glass wall on the other side that overlooked the city of Seoul. In the dim lighting suffused with more smoke, she saw through a gap in the crowd a huge platform on the end of the room furthest from the elevator where several women danced seductively around metal poles. A DJ was set up on a platform just behind the dancing women, where he bobbed his head in time to the electronic music.

No one seemed to notice Ga Eul's arrival. The partiers making out on the sofas were too preoccupied with one another, and everyone else seemed too preoccupied with something that was happening on the far side of the room.

A chorus of raucous laughter and catcalls erupted just then, and Ga Eul stepped a little bit closer to see what was going on and to see if she could spot either Yi Jeong or Woo Bin, although her hands were already trembling with fear at what she might find.

The crowd parted, and just like that she had found it.

Had found _him_.

Seated in a chair on the pole-dancing platform while a particularly tall, sexy—foreign, Ga Eul realized—blonde danced around him, rubbing her hands across his chest and down his torso and then circling around him to give him a lap dance.

The whole spectacle might have taken about five minutes if Ga Eul had been counting, which she wasn't, but it seemed like it took an eternity while her eyes stayed locked—frozen—on the blonde's fluid movements. Then an equally beautiful Korean woman took over, eventually drawing Yi Jeong out of the chair and over to the other dancers.

He pulled her closer and whispered something in her ear. She turned her back to him and rubbed her body against his while his hands roamed all over her—her slender arms, her waist, her prominent breasts and butt…

Then the gap in the crowd closed, and Ga Eul couldn't see anything anymore.

It was just as well.

She felt like throwing up.

Or cannon-balling into a pool of freezing cold water.

Or scrubbing her entire body with a pumice stone until her skin turned red and burned.

Then somebody—a waiter—bumped into her, knocking her back into her senses.

She had to get out of there.

Getting back on the elevator, she frantically pushed the close button before anyone could join her.

The worst part was knowing that this moment would replay over and over in her head after she went home, like some sick movie reel, reminding her of how stupid she was for thinking he would change for her. For thinking he cared anything about her childish feelings.

Compared to those women, she was a child after all. Even as dressed up as she had been the first time he took her out, she would never be the most interesting woman in the room—not to a guy like him.

Once she reached downstairs, she quickly pushed her way through the mass of people, her eyes trained on the red exit sign. About halfway across the main dance floor, Ga Eul remembered Yi Jeong's words: _If you're going to leave after this, you shouldn't have asked for a date._

What had he been doing making that promise to her—taking pity on her?

And now what? Was this his cruel way of reminding her what happened the last time she trusted him?

Well, she didn't need his pity, and she certainly didn't need this.

Stuffing the bag holding his tie into the nearest trash can, she hurried past the security guards and out into the cold night, feeling as empty as the bottles littering the tables inside. From there, she walked and walked for what seemed like hours, her heels scraping raw against the backs of her shoes, not knowing where she was going, only knowing that she wanted to be gone.


	8. Chapter 8

_One Month Later, Late August_

Another unbearably mundane day at the porridge shop passed as slowly as the drip-drop-drip of the shop's leaky faucet. After a quiet morning, a few regulars had straggled in around lunchtime before taking off again to their respective jobs. Ga Eul had offered to take Jan Di's shift since Jun Pyo would be flying out the next morning, and so, unfortunately, she was stuck at the shop alone save for Master the entire day, unfolding and refolding napkins to keep herself occupied. Such had been her life for the past month—a flurry of mindless activity designed to keep a certain scheming playboy out of her head. No matter what she tried, however, she couldn't block out the images of that night.

After she left the club, she had walked along the strip of shops and restaurants a good distance until her feet gave out and she wearily sat down on a bench outside of an expensive jewelry store. At some point, she had gotten up to peer in the front window at the fancy diamond necklaces, bracelets, and rings on display. A pair of couple rings gleamed from a pedestal in the very center of the window, Ga Eul's distorted image in the larger one mocking her.

When she had messaged her parents to tell them she was at Jan Di's house and would be home late, her mother had replied, "OK," and that was the end of it. Ga Eul's family, save for her grandmother, didn't really follow her movements. She'd tell them when she expected to be home, but rarely would they tell her she couldn't go somewhere or that she had to be in by a certain time. Perhaps they thought they had gone overboard with her brother and were now making up for it by being so lenient with her. She usually liked their laissez-faire parenting style, but that night it had irritated her if for no other reason than that she knew no one was really looking for her to be anywhere, not even at home.

When she had stumbled in at around two in the morning, her house was dark and silent, but when she had finally collapsed onto her bed, the noise in her head had kept her awake all night long.

Surprisingly, she hadn't cried. She had cried when Su Pyo had hurt her, but the pain she felt over Yi Jeong was different. Instead of ripping her heart apart, he had shot it through with anesthetic—rendering her all but dead to the world.

On her break now, Ga Eul ate her two-day-old rice slowly, picking up a few morsels at a time and wondering how she could make it through the entire bowl. The rice tasted like cardboard, dry and stale, just like she knew it would when she ignored her mother's comment about cooking a fresh batch of rice that morning.

The doorbell rang, signaling the entrance of a customer and the end of Ga Eul's break.

Glad for the distraction, she got up from the booth, turned around, and greeted the customer—bowing swiftly. As she leaned over, her eyes caught on the stylish pair of black dress shoes approaching her.

She straightened up immediately—too quickly for her own liking—but the man in front of her was not Yi Jeong but his brother.

"Miss Ga Eul, good to see you again," he said with a warm smile.

"Ah-ah, yes," Ga Eul stammered. "So Il Hyun-ssi, good to see you also."

"You can call me Il Hyun Oppa if you like. I'm sort-of a big brother to the F4. Could I speak with you outside for a moment?"

Ga Eul glanced over at her awestruck boss, who had unwittingly lowered his newspaper into his bowl of porridge.

"I'll be right back, Master, I promise," she assured him. Still, she could feel his eyes intensely following her as she walked out of the door with Il Hyun and over to Il Hyun's mini cooper—a rather modest car by F4 standards-which had been parked directly in front of the entrance.

If she had expected to be dragged off somewhere, she was pleasantly disappointed. Il Hyun stopped in front of the passenger side and turned toward Ga Eul.

"I didn't want to say this in front of your boss, but this was the only place I knew of where I might find you. Would you like to come work for me?"

Ga Eul stared at him for a moment—taking in his pleasant but serious facial expression and the half-upturned collar on his otherwise perfectly pressed and pleated gray sweater.

"E-excuse me?" she finally stammered.

"You've been to my café before. I need a new barista, and I know you have a lot of restaurant experience. As far as making coffee goes, I can teach you everything you need to know."

Ga Eul opened her mouth to speak, but she must have been taking too long to take him up on the offer because Il Hyun pulled out a small piece of paper from his pocket and jotted something down on it.

Holding up the paper, he continued, "This would be your starting salary." He smiled again. "Of course, there's also free pastries thrown in from time to time."

Ga Eul blinked. The figure in front of her was time and a half what she currently made at the porridge shop, and she had been working there for three years. Actually, she wasn't really sure how Il Hyun paid his baristas that much and stayed in business.

"Look, if you want some time to think about it, that's fine," Il Hyun said, flipping the paper over and writing something else on it. "But just let me know by this weekend." He held the paper out to her. "And this is the number I can be reached at, day or night, but, please, no midnight calls. I'm not up as late as my brother."

Ga Eul gingerly took the paper and stuffed it her apron pocket.

"Thank you…Thank you, but…there's something I should tell you. I'm not Yi Jeong Sunbae's girlfriend." Her voice slightly cracked over that last statement, but Il Hyun seemed not to notice.

"Yes, I know." He nodded his head.

"You know?"

"He told me before he left."

"Oh, I see." Ga Eul's heart sank even further down.

"But he said you were a good friend of the F4, so I thought we could be good friends too. Maybe you can give me an update on my brother every once in a while. He doesn't always keep in touch."

Ga Eul clutched the paper a bit tighter and glanced nervously to the side and then down at the pavement. After a moment, she looked back at him with the widest smile she could muster, knowing she wouldn't take the job no matter how much he paid her, and answered, "I'll think about it. Thank you so much for the offer." Dipping her head, she pulled away to go back inside when she felt a hand gently grasp her arm.

When she looked up, Il Hyun's expression had turned completely serious.

"I don't have a right to ask you this," he said, "but please, whatever you do, don't give up on my brother. He needs good people like you in his life." He let go of her arm. "And, please, do think about the job I offered you."

_Late September_

Yi Jeong finished drying his hands and threw the towel down on the workshop floor. Pressing his hands onto the counter, he leaned over the sink and let out a frustrated sigh. His hand wasn't recovering as quickly as he had hoped. The doctors said he had already made good progress just in the past two months, but he honestly couldn't tell any difference. The one activity that had always soothed him before now pained him if he worked on it too hard or for too long. This should have left him more time to study for his college classes, but it only served to throw him back into one of his more somber moods where he got next to nothing done. He hadn't started drinking again, though. Each time he thought about it, he remembered that was the whole reason he had gotten himself into this mess. This, of course, resulted in him not going out clubbing or to parties the way he had been used to—although the real reason, as much as Yi Jeong hated to admit it, was that no European model could even remotely remind him of a certain country bumpkin he had left behind in Korea.

He had been surprised when she hadn't shown up at the airport the day he left and even more surprised when she hadn't called him after he arrived in Sweden, even just to ask him how his flight was. That seemed like the type of thing Ga Eul would do, and he had wondered if she was okay, enough to casually inquire about her to Woo Bin but not enough to actually pick up the phone and call her himself. He didn't want to give her the wrong idea. Four years was a long time, and he couldn't give her any real hope of anything even after he came back. There was the part of him that loved being around her, that almost couldn't resist the opportunity to tease her and said stupid things he could never really promise her, like he did that last night they spent together.

And then there was the part of him that had walked out of his grandfather's office the day after that night, angry and scared as hell.

_Two Months Earlier_

There had been a long meeting between Yi Jeong, his father, and his grandfather about the future of the museum, and Yi Jeong had just gotten up to follow his father out of his grandfather's office.

"Yi Jeong, stay a moment." The elder So motioned for his secretary to leave, and Yi Jeong slowly sank back down in his chair.

"I trust you understand your reasons for going to Sweden," his grandfather began, shuffling some papers and removing them from the top of his desk. "First for your medical treatment, of course. The university you will be attending is excellent. It will also be a great place for you to make contacts in the art world. All of this, of course, will serve a greater purpose. I plan to retire within a few years, and at that point I would like you to take my position."

"Shouldn't that go to my father?"

His grandfather shook his head.

"Your father is a potter, not a businessman. If I wanted this museum run like a circus, I would have let him have it years ago. Sometimes favor skips a generation. But let me be perfectly clear." He produced a stack of large photographs from underneath his desk and started laying them out in front of Yi Jeong. They all featured the same two people—himself and Ga Eul—in various places from the events that had taken place in the past three years. The earliest photo had been taken at the club Yi Jeong had taken her to where he helped her get back at Su Pyo.

"For the next four years," he continued in the same level tone, setting a photo of Yi Jeong and Ga Eul holding hands at the skating rink down directly in front of Yi Jeong, "you may do whatever you wish abroad. I won't stop you." The pictures snapped against the desk as he laid them down, one by one. "But the moment you resume your duties here in Korea, you also resume your responsibilities here. All of them. Do you understand?" He set down the last of the photos and spaced them evenly, meticulously, with his fingers. Never once did he glance up at Yi Jeong's face but kept his focus on the shiny images of Ga Eul. Ga Eul glancing nervously to the side. Ga Eul looking up at something in awe. Ga Eul laughing hysterically.

Otherwise, he might have seen the glimmer of barely concealed rage beneath Yi Jeong's careless words.

"Harabeoji," he began, "you know how many women I date. What's so special about this one? You're wasting my time showing me the same photos, over and over. Besides—"

"I haven't finished." His grandfather slapped another photo down on the desk. This one showed the two of them late at night in the middle of a residential street. Yi Jeong had his arms around Ga Eul and his eyes closed and a contented smile on his face.

Then another photo went down over that one—a photo of just Ga Eul in front of her house. From the bookbag she wore, it looked like she was either coming from or going to school. Another photo slid over the top of that one. This one must have been shot from across the street by a long range lens, and it showed Ga Eul balancing a tray of dishes inside the porridge shop, her hair spilling out of a messy bun on top of her head.

"You may think that no one is watching you. But there is always someone. This time it was me." He looked up for the first time. "Let it not be a reporter."

"Harabeoji—"

"What you do on Korean soil is just as much the museum's business as it is yours. Do not forget that." He picked up one of the photos and inspected it. "She seems like a bright girl—"

Yi Jeong's expression darkened.

"Don't you dare do anything—"

"Do?" He glanced up. "Do what? I'm not threatening her, and I'm not threatening you. At least not yet. But do keep this conversation in mind. Four years goes by fairly quickly. You can have these photos if you like." He started gathering them up. "They're cluttering up my office."

At present, Yi Jeong took out one of the photos from the stack that lay hidden inside one of his workshop drawers. In this one, Ga Eul was all bundled up and cleaning windows on the outside of the porridge shop. She wore the same red coat she had been wearing the night they went on their horrible third date, a night of which there had, unfortunately, been plenty of photos.

He hadn't bothered denying anything else after that last photo of them together had been shown to him. His grandfather could always see through everyone's bluffs anyway; it was what had made him such a smart businessman.

Yi Jeong had to be smarter.

Ga Eul had to be like these photos, locked up safe somewhere so far beneath his grandfather's notice that he would forget her existence.

But still Yi Jeong kept pulling out the photos and looking.

Always looking.

Looking for a message on his phone.

Waiting for a package of pottery that never arrived. _Had she forgotten their deal?_

Hoping for some word from someone that she had asked about him, that she hadn't forgotten him and moved on that quickly. Or that she had decided to take the job at his brother's café, at least.

Pulling out his phone and finding her number, his thumb hovered over the call button, wondering if today was the day he would turn out just like that idiot Jun Pyo.

_Early October_

The first call came on a Monday while Ga Eul sat in her 2:00 PM photography class, which she was taking for her art credit. Fumbling around in her bag and cursing under her breath while Miss A's "I Don't Need a Man" reached a crescendo, Ga Eul turned her phone off without even looking at the caller id.

A day passed, then two.

At the end of the week, he called again.

Then the next day, then the next.

When he called on Saturday, she was getting ready to go shopping with Jan Di. This time, when she didn't answer, he called a minute later while she pulled on her leggings. Then twice more while she applied her makeup and put her hair up in a ponytail.

She wanted to put the phone on silent, but she knew she would miss Jan Di's call if she did. Unfortunately, she couldn't bring herself to block Yi Jeong's number, as much as she didn't want to talk to him.

Although part of her did want to talk to him.

Part of her wanted to strangle him with the pale pink hair ribbon she held between her thumb and index finger.

Her phone rang.

_Honestly, this was too much._

Picking up the phone, she snapped a "hello" into the receiver.

"Ga Eul-yang?" Yi Jeong's voice answered, sounding almost eager.

_Argh, he could melt butter with that voice._

Shaking off that thought, Ga Eul replied, in as firm a tone as she could manage, "What is it, Sunbae? I'm busy, and I'm fairly certain you have Jan Di's number, so if this is about her or Jun Pyo Sunbae, I suggest you call one of them directly."

A short silence followed that directive, and she almost thought Yi Jeong was so taken aback he had hung up.

Then he spoke again in a more tentative tone.

"Actually, I was just wondering how you are doing. Is…everything okay there?"

"Here?" Ga Eul glanced absently out of her bedroom window. "It's sunny, and there's a light breeze."

Another pause.

"So…you're outside? You're not going around barefoot again, are you?" His tone took on its more usual mischievous coloring. "You're going to cut your feet up on something, and then you're going to have to explain _that_ to your mother."

_As if you care_ , Ga Eul thought.

"Commoners don't play around outside, Yi Jeong Sunbae. We have this thing called work that keeps us _inside_ most of the daylight hours."

"Ga Eul-yang." She could hear him laugh rather nervously on the other end. "Are you sure everything's okay? You seem kind of stressed. Am I disturbing you at the shop? You can go back to your customers."

He actually sounded concerned with that last set of statements, a fact which both disturbed and bewildered Ga Eul. She could feel herself about to say something like, "Oh no, Sunbae, you're not bothering me at all. You're never a bother. You can call me anytime."

Then she remembered herself choking in a room full of fake smoke and fake people while he ran his hands over a faceless woman in a tight red dress, those hands that had always held her at arm's length.

She remembered her resolve.

She bit back, "Unfortunately, we have some very shabby looking female customers in the shop today, nothing to interest you. So why don't you go back to whatever Swedish model you have sitting on your lap at the moment and leave me to my misery? Goodbye."

She hung up the phone and tossed it onto her dresser. Her hands shook, and she semi-collapsed onto the bed behind her, unsure of what she had just said or how she had said it.

A moment later, her phone rang again, and she stared at it for a moment, swallowing hard as she realized this was the chance she needed to end this.

"Look, I don't know what you've been reading in the tabloids," Yi Jeong said when she answered, "but—"

"Tabloids?" Ga Eul laughed humorlessly. "Who needs pictures when you can see it for yourself?"

"Ga Eul-yang—"

"So Yi Jeong-ssi, I don't know what type of sick game you're playing at, but you better find somebody else to amuse yourself with because this is the last time you'll be hearing from me."

With that, she hung up and, scrolling through her list of calls, blocked his number.

_Acting as if nothing in the world was wrong between them, the nerve!_

Just like he had acted the day after he took her out for that horrible date, she realized. Like she was supposed to play along whenever his mood favored her.

She remembered him smiling all sweet and charming at her while they painted Jan Di's house and played Truth or Dare.

Truth or Dare.

He wanted truth? Fine.

Truth: She'd never been able to resist that smile. She'd been captive to it from the first moment she met him. That smile that had wooed and won countless women before her and would continue to do so long after she faded from his memory. That smile that said 'you are wanted by the great Casanova.' And when someone like that wants you, you'd follow them anywhere, even to your own private hell.

But not Ga Eul.

Not today.

Not anymore.


	9. Chapter 9

_Mid-October_

Before Ga Eul knew it, the anniversary of her brother's death had snuck up on her again. It fell on a Saturday that year, and she spent a rare full day with Jan Di, who had been busy with her own studies and otherwise occupied with helping Ji Hoo at his grandfather's clinic since the latter had passed away.

They had visited her brother's memorial that morning and then spent the rest of the day eating his favorite foods and visiting all of his favorite places. They would be ending the day with karaoke because it was the last thing the three of them had done together. At present, however, they were swinging on the swing set at the playground near their elementary school.

"Ga Eul!" Jan Di yelled as she flew past her. "Do you remember that time Min Hyuk Oppa made us eat all of those fish cakes?"

"Why would you bring up something like that?" Ga Eul complained. "I still can't eat fish cakes to this day, and I used to love them so much!"

"Min Hyuk Oppa ruined so many things for us," Jan Di recalled, slowing her swing down. Ga Eul slowed down as well until the two of them just barely drifted back and forth over the wood chips beneath their sneakers.

"Jan Di, do you think they'll ever visit him?"

Jan Di glanced over at Ga Eul, who seemed thinner and less talkative than usual, although Jan Di attributed her general pallor and quietness to the nature of the day. She knew Ga Eul was talking about her parents, who had all but stricken her brother from the family registry after he had died. They never spoke about him, never even said his name as though it were cursed. In fact, Ga Eul's mother hardly spoke two words to anyone, even to Jan Di. Meanwhile, Ga Eul's father preoccupied himself with his work as a shift supervisor. Neither one of them said much to Ga Eul, aside from the superficial "how was your day" sort of talk that only made their usual silence more uncomfortable.

The whole situation saddened Jan Di, as she had long looked up to Ga Eul's mother and father as her own second set of parents, and their house had always been full of company and laughter when the two girls first became friends in kindergarten. In truth, Min Hyuk had felt like her older brother too. She still remembered the last time she had seen him—about two months before he had died. His black hair had copper highlights at the tips, and he wore the same beat-up black leather jacket he would be wearing the day his borrowed car went over a bridge, crashing into the Han River.

"Ga Eul."

"Hmm?"

"I think what matters most is that we are here." She smiled at Ga Eul, and Ga Eul gave her a small smile in return. A light breeze blew gently against both of their faces and scattered a few strands of their hair. Behind Jan Di, the oranges and pinks of the autumn sunset melted into one another—a small reminder of the beauty the world still had to offer.

"And that I could still beat your brother at eating fish cakes if he were here." Jan Di turned away and started swinging again, higher and higher. "And you would still throw everything up," she called out. Jumping off the swing while it flew in mid-air, she crashed rather un-gracefully on the wood chips but picked herself up immediately, brushing a few pieces of wood from her jacket.

"Wanna make a bet?" Jan Di asked. "Let's go eat fish cakes. I bet you still can't do it."

Ga Eul slowed her swing to a stop, stood up, and stuffed her hands in her coat pockets.

"Says who?"

"Says two shifts at the porridge shop," Jan Di said, taking off running toward the park entrance.

"Double or nothing!" Ga Eul yelled as she followed Jan Di, straining to catch up with her.

By the time they reached the fish cake vendor, they were both out of breath, and the sky had begun to turn dark. They bought the fish cakes and stood near the cart for a moment before Jan Di announced that they each had to eat three.

Ga Eul gulped as she sifted her three skewers between her hands. One she could eat, maybe, but three? She had barely started to take one bite when a familiar voice spoke up from behind her, startling both her and Jan Di.

"Do I get to judge?"

Turning around, Ga Eul saw Woo Bin standing there, looking rather dressed down in a t-shirt, a brown leather jacket, and jeans.

"Ya, are you stalking us?" Jan Di asked, glaring at him, her voice muffled by the fish cake already stuffed into her mouth. "I told Jun Pyo to quit having people follow me around everywhere."

"He just cares about you is all," Ga Eul said. "He doesn't want anything to happen to you."

"He ran off my research partner!"

"Your what?"

"In Chemistry lab, Hyun-joong and I were doing this project together, and now he won't even return my messages because he got manhandled by one of my 'security guards' for getting 'too close' to me. I'm going to fail the entire project!" Jan Di lamented.

"Ah, I wouldn't worry about that," Woo Bin reassured her. "You're going to Shinwa Medical School anyway. You don't even need that class when you have Jun Pyo."

"Woo Bin Sunbae! I want to get into medical school on my own! Because I deserve to be there! What type of doctor fails Chem 1?!" Jan Di made a fist and gathered new resolve. "Aniyo, I am simply going to retake the class and…and…why _are_ you here?" She looked back at him.

Woo Bin grinned.

"I'm supposed to tell both of you to get ready."

"Ready for what?" Ga Eul asked, finally biting into her fish cake.

"To go back to where it all started…New Caledonia!"

Ga Eul choked a little on her fish cake, prompting a hearty slap on her back from Jan Di and a chorus of "Are you okay?" from Woo Bin.

She nodded and took a sip of water offered to her by the street vendor.

Woo Bin continued, "Jun Pyo wants to go this coming weekend. I'm supposed to tell you so that you can pack in advance. I think Jun Pyo wants Jan Di to know he is capable of acting civilized."

Jan Di humphed.

"Just the weekend and Monday," Woo Bin continued. "Seems he can't leave the business for longer than that, but he can't stay away from Jan Di for hardly two months either."

"Ah, but Sunbae," Ga Eul countered, "we have class on Monday. And mid-term exams are coming up. Or maybe just Jan Di can go, but I really—"

"It's just going to be you two, me, Ji Hoo, and Jun Pyo," Woo Bin interrupted. "Ga Eul, are you really going to abandon your best friend to the mercy of those two lovesick idiots? Am I supposed to deal with all that drama single-handedly? Ga Eul, I thought we were friends. You wound me." Woo Bin clasped a hand to his heart.

Ga Eul shifted her weight and hesitated replying. She was glad to know that Yi Jeong wouldn't be coming, but she still didn't exactly look forward to being the third—or, more likely, fourth wheel—in Jan Di's tempestuous love life for another vacation. Despite Woo Bin's friendliness towards her, she knew he probably would bring some of his model friends and therefore wouldn't be quite as alone as he was putting on. Plus, being in New Caledonia would only remind her of the last time she had been there, no matter how hard she tried to forget it-how stupidly naive she was back then.

Soulmates, huh?

_This is why I say girls won't make it..._

She still hadn't told Jan Di about all that had happened between her and Yi Jeong, knowing Jan Di would probably blow up to Jun Pyo about it and that would only cause more drama among everyone in their circle.

Jan Di, seeing her friend's hesitation, tugged on Ga Eul's arm. She didn't know what was bothering Ga Eul, but she knew a weekend away might help whatever it was.

"Come on, Ga Eul, it's just a weekend trip, really. And I know for a fact you're ahead on all of your schoolwork. You haven't changed a bit since high school."

"Umm…"

"I think we're getting the same chef as the last time you were there," Woo Bin added.

"I don't eat that much," Ga Eul mumbled.

Woo Bin and Jan Di glanced knowingly at one another and then back at her.

"Okay, okay, I'll think about it."

Jan Di broke into a huge smile and looped one of her arms around one of Ga Eul's, tugging Ga Eul close to her.

"We'll be at the airport, Woo Bin Sunbae. You can tell Jun Pyo he can have Ji Hoo for his date because I've already got mine."


	10. Chapter 10

Ga Eul was having the strangest dream.

In her dream, she had just closed up the porridge shop, and she was walking to her bus stop when Yi Jeong's orange Lotus suddenly pulled up beside her. When the passenger side window had been rolled down, she saw Il Hyun smiling at her from the driver's seat and beckoning her to get in.

Il Hyun handed her an invitation written in a foreign language that she couldn't read even in the dream but that she somehow knew was an invitation to Yi Jeong's wedding.

Pulling out some boxes from the trunk of the car, Il Hyun stacked them into Ga Eul's arms and said, "Here's your battle armor."

The next moment, she was in a ballroom full of people she'd never seen before but who seemed to know her. Everyone kept staring and pointing at her, and that's when she noticed that, unlike them, she wasn't wearing a ball gown but her porridge shop apron over a t-shirt and jeans. At some point, she thought she spotted Yi Jeong standing beside an unfamiliar lady in a beautiful wedding dress. When she got closer, though, she saw that it wasn't him, but the bride smirked at Ga Eul as if she knew who Ga Eul was looking for.

Then Ga Eul was standing in a field of wildflowers at night—alone but with the distinct feeling of waiting for something or someone. She had on her bridesmaid's dress from Jae Kyung's wedding, and she kept twirling around in it because she liked the way the skirt billowed out beneath her and the feeling of being dizzy and the hope that she might wake up if she kept twirling around fast enough.

The ground spun around and around under her feet until finally the grassy field turned into crumbling rock, and Ga Eul found herself falling over the edge of a cliff into the ocean below…falling…falling…falling…

Ga Eul awoke with a gasp as she fell back into the chair she had fallen asleep in.

The lights in the plane were on, and she realized that the plane must have hit the runway around the moment she had woken up.

"You're finally awake," Woo Bin announced from a chair diagonal to Ga Eul as she sat up straighter and tried to calm her racing heart.

"Ah…yes," she managed, glancing at him.

Ga Eul had just finished packing her things to go to the airport when Woo Bin had shown up at her house, claiming that Jun Pyo had already whisked Jan Di away on an earlier flight and that she would be flying with him on another private plane. Ji Hoo, apparently, could not tear himself away from his medical duties.

The flight had taken a lot longer than Ga Eul remembered, but, then again, she had only been to New Caledonia once. Looking around and expecting perhaps to see the beautiful ocean glistening in the sunlight, she noticed that all of the windows had been covered.

"Sunbae, couldn't we see out of the windows before?"

Ga Eul reached over to push one of the covers up.

"Ah, don't worry about those." Woo Bin came over and, grabbing her wrist, pulled her out of her chair and over to a cart laden with breakfast food. "I closed them so the light wouldn't wake you up. You seemed pretty tired."

"Oh?" Ga Eul gently extricated her wrist from his grasp. "Well…Thank you, Sunbae."

Woo Bin grinned charismatically.

"So, do you want anything? Of course, we'll have plenty of food once we—"

"Oh, no, that's okay."

"Are you sure you're okay? You look kind-of pale."

"I'm fine. I'm just tired. I guess I better gather my things up."

Woo Bin shrugged and sat back down. He picked up a cinnamon roll from the cart and ate it slowly as he watched her move about the cabin, fiddling with her purse and stuffing things back into her carry-on. He wondered what she had been dreaming about. He'd seen her fidgeting in her sleep, and when she'd woken up she looked a bit distressed. In fact, she had been fairly silent most of the plane ride until she had fallen asleep. From the little conversation they did have, though, Woo Bin could tell she was distracted by something or someone. And if the most recent conversation he'd had with Yi Jeong were anything to go by, that person seemed quite taken with her as well. Their relationship—whatever it was exactly—struck Woo Bin as strange, but, at the same time, it made sense: a classic case of two opposites attracting.

The plane finally came to a halt, and shortly thereafter the announcement came that they were to disembark.

Ga Eul headed for the exit first, eager to get back out into the fresh air and away from Woo Bin's studious gaze. In fact, the idea had come to her while she sat on the plane that maybe Jan Di had the right idea. She just needed a break—to get away from everything, to relax, to rejuvenate herself and come back as a stronger person.

Then a gust of cold wind slapped her in the face as she stepped out of the plane entrance and into the blinding sunlight.

"Sunbae, why is it so…cold…"

They had landed in front of what looked like a private airplane hanger, and Ga Eul saw nothing but bare fields for miles stretching out in front of her. Her eyes finally came to rest on a shiny black Cadillac sitting on the runway next to the plane. Yi Jeong was leaning up against the car—his hands in his pockets, his eyes squinting in the sun's glare—but when he saw her emerge from the airplane, he stood up straight. He smiled and waved at her.

Abruptly, she turned around to get back inside the plane but found herself shoving against Woo Bin, who blocked the entrance.

"Woo Bin Sunbae! What is this?!" she demanded.

"I think it's an airplane ramp. You're supposed to walk down it." She could hear a slight tone of amusement in his voice.

"You tricked me!" she exclaimed, jabbing her finger at his chest.

Brushing the place where the tip of her finger had hit him, Woo Bin cleared his throat and answered, "I thought you'd be pleasantly surprised."

"Well, I'm not. Woo Bin Sunbae, let me back on that plane this instant!" She stamped her foot for emphasis and tried to shove her way back in again, but Woo Bin caught her arms and pushed her back toward the ramp as she kept struggling.

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

"This is kidnapping!"

"Ya, do you see any kids around here?"

"Where's Jan Di?" Ga Eul tore her arms away and flung them down to her sides. "Was she in on this too?"

"Aniyo, Jan Di is with Jun Pyo in New Caledonia."

"Ya, you guys are really insane."

"Ga Eul-yang," Yi Jeong called out from below, "The plane has to refuel. I think you two better get off."

Ga Eul turned her body sideways to glance back and forth at each of them.

At the car, someone in a black suit—one of Yi Jeong's staff, she guessed—loaded her pink suitcase into the Cadillac.

In the entrance to the plane, Woo Bin slowly shook his head and widened his stance.

Great, she was caught between two egotistical maniacs.

Letting out a large, audible sigh, she tramped down the rest of the stairs and headed toward the car. Passing by Yi Jeong and the passenger door he held open for her, she walked around the car, got into the backseat on the other side, and slammed the door.

* * *

Ga Eul still wore her hair the same way Yi Jeong remembered—long and straight and held back with one of her many colorful headbands. She had pulled on a long gray cardigan over her simple collared white blouse, but he knew her bare legs must be cold, being left exposed by her high-waisted jean shorts. Perhaps he should have made her change into some of the winter clothes he had in the house, but as she seemed intent on ignoring him, he doubted she'd take anything at this point, no matter how cold she was.

He'd taken the three of them back to his house, and lunch had been served—jjajangmyeon, prepared by the Korean cooking staff he'd brought with him from home. Woo Bin dug into his without hesitation, remarking on how nice it was to have good Korean food in a foreign country.

Ga Eul stared at hers for a moment when the maid delivered it, then took to gazing out of the window at the walled garden on that side of the house, leaving her food untouched. Yi Jeong nodded and gave some short, vague responses to whatever Woo Bin was going on about, but he kept studying her profile in the light filtering in from the window. She'd been so angry before, but now he couldn't read her—whether she was simmering to a boiling point again or drifting into a melancholy state or simply becoming more and more anxious to leave.

Then Ga Eul stood up and slid her full plate to the center of the table. Looking only at Woo Bin, she announced, "I'll just be in the garden over there. You can call me when you're done, and then we can go back to Korea." Ga Eul went out of the sliding glass doors, leaving one of them slightly open and letting the cool air in from outside.

"Bro, what's gotten into her?" Woo Bin asked when she had disappeared. He stuffed the last of his noodles into his mouth.

"How should I know?" Yi Jeong shoved his own half-finished plate next to hers. "I called to ask her how she was, and she just went off on me. Don't girls like that sort of thing?"

Woo Bin took a swallow of his beer and chuckled. "I thought you knew everything about girls."

"I know everything about women! Girls like that…" He waved his hand toward where Ga Eul had disappeared. "Girls like that…" he trailed off again.

Ga Eul reappeared in Yi Jeong's line of sight for a moment. She had already found Milo, the orange and white striped cat that made his home on the grounds. Milo hardly ever let anyone touch him, but Ga Eul was holding him in her arms and stroking the fur on top of his head. She sat down with the cat in a wooden rocking chair that had been placed outside and started rocking in it, leaning forward instead of back into the chair. She huddled over the cat for a while, staring at her sandals instead of at the sky.

Woo Bin left, and the maids came to clear away the dishes, but Yi Jeong told them to leave everything and take the rest of the afternoon off. He grabbed a brown plaid blanket scarf that had been thrown onto one of the coat hooks by the doors. Sliding the doors open again, slowly and quietly, he slipped outside and approached Ga Eul from behind.

If Ga Eul noticed him coming out, she didn't show it. Her hands still clutched the cat, but she had stopped petting him. A light breeze blew against them then, and she shivered and tucked her arms further against her sides.

"Aren't you cold?" Yi Jeong asked, stepping up right behind her chair and placing the scarf around her shoulders.

She stood up abruptly. The scarf fell from her shoulders onto the chair, and the cat jumped out of her arms and scampered away.

"I'm fine," she muttered, tucking some hair behind her ear. Without looking at his face, Ga Eul stepped hurriedly around him and walked back inside the open doors.

"Where's Woo Bin?" she called out.

"Ah, him?" Yi Jeong stepped back inside also, noting how she inched away from him slightly as he did so. "He's on his way back to the airport."

Ga Eul should have seen that coming, but that realization didn't make her any less angry about being stranded there.

"That's not fair, Sunbae."

"Do you mean to say you're being fair to me? You haven't said two words to me since you walked in the door."

"Ah, yes, you're the gentleman here. I'm just the country bumpkin who doesn't know how to speak properly."

"Was that sarcasm or is that just the way you talk now?"

"You're one to talk about what's fair. You must think you're real clever," Ga Eul continued as though she hadn't heard him. "First you kidnap me and take me to your workshop. Then you trick me into thinking my best friend is _dying_ and take me to the airport." She turned to face him then, and he could see the irritation building in her face, along with something else he couldn't figure out. "And now you've gotten me onto a plane and delivered me to an entirely different country without my knowledge. Sunbae, let's try counting the number of times in our relationship that you haven't deceived me into getting something you want."

Yi Jeong reached over as though to touch her arm, and she pulled back.

"Don't touch me!"

He dropped his arm but stepped toward her.

"Ga Eul-yang, you wouldn't have come if you knew where you were going."

"Of course not!"

"Why? Why did you block my number? I wouldn't have had to drag you all the way here if maybe you could answer the phone like a civilized member of society."

"Civilized?"

"Yeah, civilized. You know, maybe we ought to talk about this…this…whatever this is like _friends_ normally do."

"There is nothing normal about a friendship between someone like me and someone like you, Yi Jeong Sunbae."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"What do you ever mean?"

"See, there you go again. Avoiding the question." He took another step closer to her, so that there was less than an arm's length between them. She tried to back away, but he grabbed both of her wrists and held her there. "But Ga Eul-yang, you aren't leaving here until you tell me what the hell is going on! And after that, you can leave, and I'll leave you alone for the rest of your life if that's what you want. But I want an explanation, and I want it now!" His voice grew firmer. "Did someone threaten you? Did anybody hurt you?"

"You hurt me!" Ga Eul pulled one of her arms free and slapped him across the face. "Don't you think you've done enough, Sunbae? Don't you think I've gotten the message by now?!"

Yi Jeong, surprised by her sudden outburst, let go of her other wrist. His cheek stung pretty badly, but he was more concerned by her assertion that he had done something—something apparently worse than the night he had taken her to meet his father, where he had gotten off with a mere glass of water thrown in his face. He looked her over for a moment before replying.

"Ga Eul-yang…What are you talking about?"

Marching over to the dining table, she snatched her phone from out of her purse and, after flipping through it for a moment, held it out to him so that he could see the screen. A message on the screen read: _Hey Ga Eul, Woo Bin is throwing a private going-away party for me at this address. Give them your name at the door, and they should let you in._

"And don't tell me you were too drunk to remember anything," Ga Eul continued. "You weren't too drunk to send me that text."

A look of utter confusion descended upon Yi Jeong's face.

"I didn't send you that. Where is that, anyway? What's the address for? Cheongdam-dong? What were you doing there?"

Ga Eul scoffed.

"What? It came from your phone, Sunbae. Don't try that with me!"

Yi Jeong held up his hands.

"Honestly, I've never seen that, and believe me, I didn't send that to you."

Ga Eul stared at him, an incredulous look on her face.

"Don't you think you're taking this act a bit too far?"

"What are you talking about?"

"What were you doing the night before you left for Sweden?"

"The night before I left?...I was with Woo Bin and—"

"You mean to tell me that you weren't out partying with Woo Bin the night before you left?"

"The night before I left I went to dinner with the F4, and after that we were at our old hangout all night. It was just us. I was beating Woo Bin at pool!"

Ga Eul felt like she'd been struck by a blunt object as Yi Jeong continued, his voice rising incrementally, "You can ask Woo Bin, and if you don't believe him, you can ask Jun Pyo or Ji Hoo! Or even Jan Di. She'll tell you. She came over to say goodbye, and I didn't think Jun Pyo would let her leave!"

Ga Eul's face had turned as pale as the white napkins on the dining room table. She trembled a bit as she looked from him to her phone and then back at him.

Then some realization seemed to sink in, and she collapsed back into the chair behind her, still trembling.

"Ga Eul-yang...Ga Eul-yang! What happened?!"

She didn't say anything, just fiddled with her phone and looked around uncertainly. In fact, she looked so forlorn that Yi Jeong wanted to pull her out of the chair and hold her in his arms, but he wasn't sure how she would respond to that.

Instead, he cleared his throat and said softly, "Ga Eul-yang, talk to me. Can you tell me what's wrong?"

After a moment, she lifted a pair of uncertain eyes up to him and answered, her voice barely above a whisper, "Sunbae, I…I don't know. I don't know what's going on anymore."

"Well, I sure don't, but maybe if you tell me about it, we can figure out this…this…misunderstanding."

He looked so bewildered in that moment that Ga Eul thought she must be going crazy, so she explained where she had gone and everything that happened once she got there and how the guy she had seen looked so much like him, except that now Ga Eul realized she had only seen him from the side…and in the dark at that…with a crowd of people pushing and shoving against her.

"Did you talk to anyone?" Yi Jeong asked when she had finished. "Did anyone say anything to you?"

Ga Eul shook her head.

"Just the bouncer. He let me in after I told him who I was."

Shifting in his chair, which he had placed facing hers, Yi Jeong frowned. He didn't know what disturbed him more—what had actually happened or the fact that Ga Eul so quickly believed what she thought had happened.

"But Ga Eul, why did you think I'd want you to see something like that?"

"I just thought you were making fun of me."

"And why would I do that?"

Ga Eul shrugged.

Reaching over, Yi Jeong tentatively grabbed one of Ga Eul's hands and held it between his own two hands, rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb.

"Ga Eul-yang, why don't you tell me what's really bothering you?"

Now that the shock had passed, contrition had settled in. She could hardly believe it when he took her hand like that and held it so gently—the same hand that had slapped his face not too long ago. They sat so close together now that their knees almost touched.

"I already told you about the club," she answered shakily.

Yi Jeong shook his head.

"No, not that. You were going to stop talking to me before that. At Namsan, remember?"

Ga Eul glanced up at him and back at her lap. A long silence ensued.

Finally, she said, "You almost kissed me, remember?"

Yi Jeong gripped her hand a bit tighter and nodded slowly.

Ga Eul smiled, still looking down at his hands clasping hers.

"That was like a very nice dream. But Sunbae, what do you think would have happened if Eun Jae hadn't been engaged to your brother? No matter where I am with you, I'm always second. I'm always just the silly commoner who follows you around."

"Ga Eul-yang, I think you're underestimating how many girls follow me around."

Ga Eul looked up at him curiously.

"Do you think you're the same as everyone else? Look around. Do you see anyone else here?"

"But, Sunbae, I—"

"Ask me again."

A new intensity had come into his eyes, and Ga Eul shifted nervously.

"Ask you what again?"

"Say, 'Will you go out with me?'"

"Why?" she asked softly.

Yi Jeong smiled—not in the charming way he normally did but in a genuine way that Ga Eul thought very few people must ever see.

"Because some bad guys like good girls."

"And do you like me?" she whispered.

Yi Jeong nodded slowly and, leaning over, kissed her.


	11. Chapter 11

In the third grade, Ga Eul had received her first kiss while playing the role of a librarian in some school play she had long forgotten the name of. The lead actor was supposed to kiss her on the cheek. That was how they had rehearsed it, but on the night of the performance, Ga Eul got so nervous about it, she turned to look at her teacher at the last moment, and the boy missed her cheek and kissed her on the lips instead. Everyone in the audience laughed, but Ga Eul cried on the way home when she realized that her first kiss had been stolen by some irritating ten-year-old in a caterpillar costume that looked more like a wilted weed.

That had been it. She'd had two rather short-lived boyfriends—including Su Pyo—and after that embarked on a two-year-long hopeless infatuation with the handsome chaebol currently seated in front of her. The one who had just kissed her. The second kiss of her life.

No, scratch that. The first real kiss of her life.

The kiss had been soft and relatively short—maybe he didn't want to alarm her—but it was nice all the same. When she opened her eyes again, his face lingered a few inches away from hers. Then he reached up with one hand and smoothed some hair back from her face, tucking the hair behind her ear.

He didn't say anything, but she could tell from the look in his eyes that he wanted to kiss her again, and as she had wanted him to kiss her for so long despite her usual shyness and reserve, she closed her eyes again and leaned in just a bit.

Then her stomach rumbled.

Very loudly.

She opened her eyes in alarm to see Yi Jeong staring back at her with a confused look on his face. Then, realizing what he had just heard, Yi Jeong slowly started laughing.

"You…That's the first time I ever got…that reaction from kissing a girl," Yi Jeong said.

"It's because I haven't eaten all day!" Ga Eul protested, covering her face with her hands.

"Hey, whose fault is that?"

Ga Eul buried her face further into her hands and groaned.

"Hey. Hey, Ga Eul-yang." Yi Jeong tugged gently on her left arm.

Ga Eul slid her hands down enough to see Yi Jeong grinning, and she half-heartedly kicked his ankle with her foot.

"Yours! Everything is your fault," she complained.

"Well, if everything is my fault," Yi Jeong said, standing up and straightening out his suit, "I guess I can't take you out to eat then."

Ga Eul crossed her arms and looked pointedly at him.

"Who says I want you to take me anywhere?"

Her stomach growled again, a bit louder this time, and she glanced away in embarrassment.

"Ga Eul-yang, I'm not making fun of you. Come on, I'll take you to one of the best restaurants in Stockholm." Yi Jeong held his hand out to her. "Let's go."

Taking his hand after hesitating a moment, she let him pull her up, but when he started pulling her toward a hallway, she stopped suddenly.

"Sunbae, I can't go dressed like this," she protested when he turned back to look at her. "I only brought clothes for the beach."

"Ga Eul-yang, will you just relax and follow me?" He started walking again, pulling her with him.

Soon, they came to an open room, which he ushered her inside.

The room Yi Jeong led her to overlooked part of the gardens. To let the sunlight filter through, sheer white curtains had been set over the windows, pulled back, and fastened with gold tassels. Against one wall rested an ornate queen-sized sleigh bed with a light green and gold bed set. Across from the bed sat a dark wood wardrobe, and on the side of the bed opposite the windows sat a huge set of matching dresser drawers with a tall mirror. Ga Eul's suitcase, Yi Jeong informed her, had already been stored away underneath the bed and her things hung up or put away into drawers. Then Yi Jeong directed her toward a walk-in closet that had been built behind the wall that the bed leaned against.

Tentatively, Ga Eul stepped inside the closet, which was almost a small room unto itself. From wall to wall, the closet had been filled with clothes: gray, black, and burgundy skater skirts; cream, tan, and gold sweaters; a pleated blouses in various colors. On the floor of the closet sat several pairs of shoes: tan peep-toe boots with short stiletto heels, flat black knee-high boots, black pumps, and sparkly white and gold tennis shoes. A small black Chanel shoulder bag hung by its gold chain on a rack of wooden coat hooks on one side of the closet. Next to the purse hung a few knit scarves and pairs of mittens clustered together. Dumbstruck, Ga Eul tentatively reached out and tugged the sleeve of a tan pea coat hanging directly in front of her, her fingers rubbing against the coat's soft silk inner lining.

"I hope you don't mind. I had some stuff picked out for you," Yi Jeong said from behind her. "It's going to get pretty cold once the sun goes down. Ah, and there's socks and leggings in one of the top dresser drawers."

Ga Eul dropped her hand and glanced around at the 'stuff' Yi Jeong had selected. Even from where she stood at the far end of the closet, she could read the labels on some of the blouses that had been spaced out, presumably to present them to their full effect: Chanel, Dior, Versace.

When she didn't say anything for a long moment, Yi Jeong continued, "I didn't know what you would like. If you don't like anything here we can—"

"A-Ani, ani." Ga Eul turned and waved her hands. "I like it."

"It?"

"Everything. I like everything." Ga Eul turned nervously back to the coat she had been fiddling with and then turned again to look at Yi Jeong.

"But Sunbae, don't you think this is a bit much? I'm only going to be here until...well, until Monday, I guess."

"A bit much for who? You or me?" Yi Jeong asked, leaning against the closet doorframe.

"Ahhh…both?"

Yi Jeong raised one eyebrow.

"I'm not allowed to spend money on my girlfriend?"

"Your w-what?"

Yi Jeong sighed and started walking out of the room like he hadn't heard her.

"Ga Eul-yang, anything I spend on you today, the museum will just make back a thousand times tomorrow."

"Sunbae," Ga Eul called after him. She followed him to the door. "Wait a minute. What do you mean, your—"

He stopped suddenly, and she nearly ran into him. Backing up slightly, she finished, "Your…girlfriend?"

In answer, Yi Jeong tousled her hair.

"You're cute," he said, dropping his hand.

"I may be cute, but when did I agree to this?" Ga Eul asked, reaching up to smooth out her hair.

Yi Jeong looked amused.

"You can say 'no' if you want."

"I can't say anything, Sunbae. You haven't even asked me yet."

Taking in Ga Eul's skeptical expression, Yi Jeong sighed again and put his hands on her shoulders. "Fine. What do I have to say? Ah, yes. Ga Eul-yang," he began, leaning in close to her.

"Yes?" Ga Eul swallowed nervously.

"Will…you…please…please..." Yi Jeong leaned in closer with each word, pausing with his face just inches from hers. Instead of kissing her like she thought he would, however, he moved to whisper something in her ear. "Please stop calling me 'Sunbae.'"

Then he let her go and stepped out of the door, shutting it behind him before Ga Eul's brain could catch up with what he had said.

"My room's just across the hall. You can knock on the door when you're ready to go," she heard Yi Jeong call out just before another door shut across the hall.

Ga Eul stood there for another long moment, still almost uncomprehending, but finally made her way over to the bed. Sitting down gingerly on the edge of the bed, Ga Eul caught a glimpse of her still-frazzled hair in the mirror and tried to smooth it out some more.

"A thousand times," Ga Eul muttered as she ran her fingers over and over a few split ends. "How do you know my size anyway?"

Suddenly, she had a rather vivid vision of Yi Jeong approaching the bed, placing one hand on either side of her and leaning over so that their faces were almost touching again.

"You really want to know that?" he said. His gaze flickered up and down suggestively, and Ga Eul stared at him, wide-eyed.

"Aniyo," she said quietly and shook her head to clear it. Collapsing onto her back, Ga Eul stared at the decorative fan hanging over her bed from the room's high ceiling.

"It's too much. Too much," she mumbled.

_Please stop calling me 'Sunbae.'_

Popping upright, she mussed her hair up again.

"Agh, I must still be asleep."

* * *

When she had finally washed up and dressed in a burgundy skirt, grey sweater, black leggings, and the black knee-high boots-she'd forgone the Chanel bag, as cute as it was-Yi Jeong took her to a place called Lilla Ego, reputed to be the best restaurant in Stockholm. Even abroad, Yi Jeong carried himself with an air of self-importance that didn't go unnoticed. Ga Eul bet that half of the people in the restaurant didn't know who he was, but she still felt everyone staring at them when they arrived, walked in past the large number of people in the waiting area, and promptly found themselves seated at a cozy corner table against one brick wall that ran up close to the window overlooking the street. It didn't help that after they had received their food one of the owners/head chefs came over to their table to introduce himself to Ga Eul and to inquire how satisfied they were with the food. He and Yi Jeong conversed in English for a moment, and Ga Eul had a feeling they were talking about her but had no idea what was being said.

Ga Eul wasn't entirely sure what she was eating, either—some type of lamb dish that Yi Jeong had ordered for her— but it tasted delicious. Yi Jeong ate his own dinner slowly, sipping on a mug of coffee. He wore, she noticed, the arm warmers she had given to him a long time ago. She had been surprised to see them when he escorted her out to the car. In fact, she hadn't known if he still had them or if he had ever used them. It warmed her heart to see him wearing them, especially since he had just showered her with so many presents. It had been a very small present, but she supposed it was better than nothing. Ga Eul mentally sighed as she watched Yi Jeong slowly and deliberately carve a piece of meat with his steak knife. How was she ever going to repay him for all of this? She supposed he was used to spending a lot of money on the women he went out with, but she didn't want him to think that was why she wanted to be with him.

Yi Jeong noticed Ga Eul sighing and looked up from his plate.

"Something wrong?"

Agh, had she sighed out loud?

"Oh, no, Sunbae. Everything's fine." She smiled. "The food is really good. Thank you." She slightly bowed her head.

Turning his attention back to slicing his beef, he continued, "I though I told you to stop calling me that."

"What should I call you then?" Ga Eul set her fork down on her empty plate. "Ahjussi?"

"That's very funny, Ga Eul-yang."

"Mmm…Oppa?" A memory came to her then of him walking towards her with two scantily clad women hanging off of his arm. She shook her head. "Ani." Yi Jeong stuck a piece of beef into his mouth and looked at her expectantly as he chewed. "Um, Yi Jeong?"

Yi Jeong swallowed and took another sip of his coffee.

"Yes?"

"Can I just call you Yi Jeong?"

"I don't know. Can you? You look uncomfortable. Would you feel better calling me 'Sunbae'?" Yi Jeong set his own fork onto his plate and leaned back in his chair. "You do know we never actually went to school together, don't you?"

"But you're Jan Di's Sunbae."

"Are the two of you a package deal? Is there something I need to know? Are you also Jun Pyo's girlfriend?"

"Aniyo!" Ga Eul exclaimed, perhaps a bit too loudly. A few nearby patrons turned to look at her. "Aniyo," she said quietly.

Speaking of Jun Pyo, Yi Jeong's phone started ringing at that exact moment, showing an incoming call from him. Frowning, Yi Jeong picked it up, wondering what he could possibly want at this time. It was 6:00 PM in Stockholm. Wasn't it 3:00 AM in New Caledonia?

"Hello?"

"Yi Jeong Sunbae! What are you doing with my best friend?!" Jan Di's furious voice came through the phone, and Yi Jeong, momentarily startled, pulled the phone away from his ear. Upon hearing her friend's voice, Ga Eul's eyes went wide. Jan Di continued, "Just who do you think you are, holding innocent girls hostage?! You're almost as bad as Jun Pyo!"

"Jun Pyo told you?" Yi Jeong asked, rubbing his forehead. As soon as Ga Eul left Sweden, he was going to board a plane to America and hand-deliver his thank-you to Jun Pyo for spilling that information to his overly protective girlfriend.

"So Yi Jeong, if you lay one finger on my friend, I'm going to come to Sweden and personally smash all of your precious pots with my spin-kick!"

"I'm not doing anything to your friend. She's right here. Do you want to talk to her?" Yi Jeong heard a door open and then a scuffle in the background and some indiscernible yelling. Then silence descended on the line. "Jan Di-ah? Geum Jan Di? Hello?" Yi Jeong looked back at his phone only to see that the call had ended.

"She's going to be so worried about me," Ga Eul fretted. "I better call her back." Ga Eul grabbed for his phone, but he pulled it back.

"Aniyo." He stood up and pocketed the phone. "I have a better idea." A mischievous expression lit up his face. "Ga Eul-yang, how would you like to mess with our friends a bit?"


	12. Chapter 12

After they left the restaurant, Yi Jeong wouldn't tell Ga Eul anything except that he had a plan in mind. Truthfully, Ga Eul was still dying to reassure Jan Di that she was fine although she had tricked her once before. That had been different, though. This time Ga Eul was in another country. Jan Di wouldn't be able to see her again until Tuesday. Not that Ga Eul believed Yi Jeong would do anything bad to her, of course. She glanced at him from the passenger side of the car. At least the Cadillac afforded more space between them than his Lotus. She liked being close to him, but sometimes he made her so nervous she could hardly breathe.

They drove alongside the river for some time. The sun had been setting when they emerged from the restaurant, and now Ga Eul gazed past Yi Jeong at the lights from the street lamps dappling the water and the boats of various sizes docked along the waterway. On the other side of the road, the ornate architecture of the old European city flew by Ga Eul's window-a far cry from the skyscrapers and modern apartment buildings of Seoul. In fact, it seemed like the perfect setting for a fairytale.

Eventually, Yi Jeong pulled up in front of a colossal white stone building with many balconies overlooking the waterfront. He got out of the car first and then walked around to open the door for Ga Eul as he handed off his keys to a nearby valet.

"They only have underground parking here," he explained as he grabbed Ga Eul's hand and pulled her along with him toward the entrance of the building, which she now noticed was a hotel.

"Ah, Sunbae, what are we doing here?" Ga Eul slowed her walking pace, causing him to stop and pause right before the doors.

"I've got a room here. You'll see when we get there. Let's go in. It's too cold out here." The doorman had opened the door for them, and Yi Jeong tugged at her hand.

A room? Maybe she had made a mistake agreeing to stay in Sweden with him. What was she thinking staying alone with an experienced womanizer like him for three days?

Ga Eul looked past Yi Jeong to the brightly lit lobby and then back at him again, trying to discern what he was getting at, but his face gave nothing away. Finally, she let out the breath she had been holding and took a few tentative steps forward.

"Okay, Sunbae," she said.

He clutched her hand a bit tighter as they entered the lobby, interlocking his fingers with hers. Yi Jeong led her to the elevator and up to the fourth floor. They stopped in front of a room near the end of a long hallway, but instead of opening the door with a room key, Yi Jeong knocked, much to Ga Eul's surprise.

Her surprise turned into relief when Woo Bin opened the door, dressed in an immaculate light gray suit.

"Sunbae, I thought you had gone back to Korea!"

"And deprive all the beautiful ladies here of my company? I've got too many clubs to check out before I leave." Woo Bin ushered them inside the room. "But you should be ashamed of yourself, Miss Ga Eul, turning my partner in crime over here into a decent person."

Yi Jeong looked like he was about to protest, but Ga Eul beat him to it.

"A decent person?" Letting go of Yi Jeong's hand, she plopped down on the bed and glared at both of them. "I still haven't let you two off the hook for kidnapping me."

Yi Jeong grinned, and he and Woo Bin exchanged a look.

"So Ga Eul-yang," Yi Jeong said, shoving his hands in his pockets in a boyish way that only made him look more devilishly cute, "Since you're with two depraved human beings such as ourselves, don't you think we should be doing something indecent?"

* * *

After a rather lengthy argument over the merits and demerits of Yi Jeong's moral character where it concerned Ga Eul, Jan Di and Jun Pyo had both fallen asleep on the bed in Jun Pyo's room. Despite being a heavy sleeper, Jan Di woke up first to the sound of Jun Pyo's phone continuously buzzing. Stretching groggily, she glanced around the room, looking for the source of the noise and jumping a little when she saw Jun Pyo lying beside her.

She patted herself down quickly, noting that she still had on all of her clothes from the night before. They both did, in fact.

Jan Di sighed in relief.

Jun Pyo stirred a bit but didn't open his eyes. He looked so peaceful when he slept, Jan Di thought, in a way she could never imagine him looking while he was awake. Sighing again, she reached over to brush some loose curls back from his face. Her hand had barely touched his cheek when the buzzing started up again.

Putting her head up close to Jun Pyo's, she realized he had hid his phone under his pillow but not quite under his head so that she easily pulled it out and crept outside with her prized possession. Jun Pyo had confiscated her phone the moment she arrived in New Caledonia and had done a surprisingly good job at keeping her from finding it, but now she had the power!

Jan Di walked quickly down to the sand, which still felt fairly cool underneath her feet given the time of morning, and opened the phone to find Yi Jeong's number. The phone buzzed again then, signaling a text message from Woo Bin.

One of fifteen messages from Woo Bin.

Squinting against the sun's glare as she backed into a shady spot, Jan Di pulled up the messages, suddenly frightened that something might have gone terribly wrong in Sweden.

As she scrolled through the messages, which mostly contained photos, Jan Di rapidly came to the conclusion that something had, indeed, gone terribly wrong.

The message at the top read: _Just as I feared. Our innocent Ga Eul was no match for his well-practiced charm. The fault is mine. I should have never brought her here._

The first photo showed Ga Eul and Yi Jeong with their arms linked together drinking wine at what looked like a restaurant table.

The second photo showed them dancing near a fountain lit up in blue and white lights.

The third photo showed Yi Jeong holding Ga Eul in mid-air, their faces almost touching, in that signature pose Woo Bin had claimed he'd seduced many women with before.

The fourth photo showed him pressing Ga Eul against a brick wall, staring into her eyes, and brushing her hair back from her face. There were several other photos like that, taken from a distance, showing the two of them in various seductive poses.

Then there were several photos of them checking into a hotel and the two of them walking down the hotel hallway, Yi Jeong's arm wrapped around Ga Eul's waist.

Rushing back to Jun Pyo's room, Jan Di collided with him as he came outside.

Jun Pyo grabbed Jan Di's arm to keep her from falling and then held onto it as he attempted to drag her back inside.

"See what happens when I'm not there to protect you? You almost fell into the water."

"Gu Jun Pyo!" Jan Di jerked her arm away. "How can you go back to sleep at a time like this?!" She waved his phone around demonstratively. "Yi Jeong took Ga Eul to a hotel, and now he's probably doing...doing.. _things_ to her."

"Yah, you're not falling for that hotel thing again, are you?" Jun Pyo scoffed. "I keep telling you. There's no way he'd go after a girl like Ga Eul."

"Woo Bin had them followed. Look! See for yourself! This all your fault!"

" _My_ fault?! I didn't even know about it until I got back to Korea to pick you up."

"Ah, poor Ga Eul!"

Jun Pyo peered over at the photos Jan Di had pulled up and was rapidly flipping through.

"She doesn't exactly look like she's resisting."

Jan Di muttered something that sounded like 'Who could resist?'

"What are you doing?"

Jan Di punched a few buttons and held the phone up to her ear.

After a moment, she said, "Woo Bin Sunbae? Are you there? Yah, can't you break down the door or something?! Hello? Hello? Woo Bin Sunbae?" Jun Pyo grabbed for the phone, and she skittered away from him. "Woo Bin Sunbae? Sunbae?!" she continued, her voice rising another decibel.

On the other end, she heard nothing but silence, then a sudden burst of laughter seeming to come from several different people.

"Jan Di," Ga Eul's voice came to her then, sounding genuinely curious, "what are you doing up so early?"

"Ga Eul, are you okay? Did Woo Bin Sunbae come to get you? Where's So Yi Jeong? I'm going to—"

"Hold on a minute, Jan Di. Let me make this a video call. You do it, too."

Jan Di held the phone away from herself for a minute and stared at it, her thumb hovering over the screen.

"Yah, what are you trying to do?" Jun Pyo snatched the phone from her.

"Give it back! Ga Eul wants to make a video call."

Jun Pyo pushed a few more buttons, and when he handed it back to her three faces stared back at her: Woo Bin's, Yi Jeong's, and Ga Eul's. They sat side-by-side on a queen-sized bed, and behind them someone had showered the bed with red rose petals.

Ga Eul, who sat in the middle and held the phone, spoke again, her voice perhaps a bit too stoic: "Jan Di, are you having fun in New Caledonia?"

"What about me? What are you doing? What's with the rose petals? What's…going on?" A look of utter confusion passed over Jan Di's face.

"What do you mean?" Ga Eul glanced behind her. "Ah, I think the hotel staff did that before we got here. There's champagne too. And strawberries and chocolate."

"We? Ga Eul, don't you think you should come home now?" Jan Di whispered that last statement into the phone as though that would prevent everyone but Ga Eul from hearing her.

"Jan Di-ah, you're telling my girlfriend to leave me when she just got here?" Yi Jeong put his arm around Ga Eul. "You're really heartless."

"Girlfriend?!"

"Hi, Jun Pyo Sunbae." Ga Eul waved at the screen, and Jan Di realized Jun Pyo had come up behind her.

"Ga Eul, have you lost your mind?" Jan Di continued in hushed tones. "Do you know who he _is_?"

"Do you know who _he_ is?" Ga Eul pointed at the screen.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jun Pyo demanded. "And what's with all those rose petals?"

"You should ask Woo Bin," Yi Jeong said. "This is his room."

At that moment, Ga Eul yawned.

"Jan Di-ah, I think my girlfriend's a bit jet-lagged. I'm going to take her home now." Yi Jeong stood up and moved out of the screen.

"Home? But Ga Eul, you should be careful. Remember what happened last time!"

"Honestly, Jan Di, you worry too much. But if any of the pictures came out good, save them for me, will you?" Ga Eul smiled and handed the phone to Woo Bin, who waved in a nonchalant fashion and hung up the call.

Jan Di and Jun Pyo both stared at the screen for a moment in respective states of shock, one hardly believing the two were together and one hardly believing they weren't.

* * *

"I just want to show you something," Yi Jeong insisted when they had driven back to his house. "Then I promise I'll let you go to sleep." After allowing Ga Eul to put her coat and purse in her room, he led her through one corridor and into a huge workshop space where a few tables were littered with half-finished vases and such.

"Whoa, is this all you've been working on?" Ga Eul exclaimed, picking up one vase. "I think you're getting better already."

In truth, the vases looked practically amateurish compared to his previous work, but Ga Eul looked at them like they were the most beautiful pieces she'd ever seen.

Then she looked at him and smiled.

"I knew you could do it."

When she turned away again, he allowed himself to smile a little. He liked watching her move around his workshop. It made him feel like he was back at home when she would come visit him. He hadn't realized until he had been in Sweden for a few weeks just how often she came around, always showing up when he least expected and, unfortunately for her, least wanted her there. Not until they had been separated by thousands of miles did he notice how quiet and empty the workshop felt without her unexpected visits. She had always been a bright ray of sunlight piercing through all of his hellish thoughts.

Just then Milo appeared at one of the windows, creeping along the barren flowerboxes on the ledge.

"Sunbae!" Ga Eul-yang spun around suddenly. "Can we let him in? It's starting to rain outside."

She looked so concerned for the cat; it was absolutely adorable. Nevertheless, Yi Jeong cleared his throat and protested, "He always stays outside. He's used to it."

"But it's so cold out there. Don't you have a heart, Sunbae?"

"I'm an awfully strange person to accuse of having a heart. Besides, if I let him in now, he'll expect he can come in whenever he wants. Next he'll be scratching up all the pottery."

"He's a cat, Sunbae. Not a large hairy dog."

"Yes, he is a cat," Yi Jeong admittedly slowly. "An outside one."

Ga Eul approached Yi Jeong and tugged on his suit jacket.

"Sunbae, please."

"What are you, five?"

"Please…please…please?" Ga Eul jerked on his jacket a bit harder with each word.

Finally, Yi Jeong sighed and, rolling his eyes, said, "Arasso, arasso."

Looking as giddy as a child who'd been given an enormous teddy bear, Ga Eul rushed over to the door, grabbed the cat who had stayed perched on the windowsill, watching them, and came back inside. Holding Milo and stroking him like she had earlier in the day, she sat down on top of a nearby table, facing Yi Jeong.

"Sunbae, do you not like cats?"

"Not like _him_?" Yi Jeong sat down on top of a table directly opposite her. "I think it's the other way around. How come he lets you hold him? He hardly even lets me feed him."

"Cats are a great judge of character."

"What's that supposed to mean? Anyway, I hate cats. They have such fickle loyalties."

"If you hated cats, you wouldn't keep one as a pet."

"He just took up here! I didn't—"

"Like I took up coming to your workshop." Milo had settled on Ga Eul's lap, but he jumped off then and went after a moth that had been hovering in the air to Ga Eul's left.

Yi Jeong laughed.

"Yeah, I guess so." He hastily added, "I don't hate you though."

Ga Eul smiled.

"I know."

Her smile slowly disappeared, though, and she grabbed onto the edge of the table and held on tightly with both hands.

"But Sunbae, who do you think sent me that message? I mean, why would someone go to all that trouble to set that up just for me?"

Yi Jeong fell silent and looked at the window for a long moment, then at the cat rolling around on the ground while batting his paws in the air. Just when she thought he might not answer her at all, he shifted his gaze back to her and said, "I don't know what happened, though I can promise you I'll figure out who was behind it. But Ga Eul-yang, in the meantime, will you do something for me?"

He looked intensely serious, even more so than he had earlier that day when he told her he liked her. After a brief pause, she nodded.

"Trust me."

"I do trust you, Sunbae," she answered softly.

Yi Jeong shook his head.

"Aniyo, I mean you really have to trust me. I don't even trust myself most of the time, but I need you to trust me. That's the only way anything between you and me is going to work."

"You…really want me to be your girlfriend?"

Yi Jeong nodded.

"But only if you want," he quickly added. "I mean, you're over there, and I'm over here, and you should be meeting other people. And four years—"

"Okay." When Yi Jeong looked like he was unsure of what he had heard, she said it again: "Okay, Sunbae. Is it okay if I just keep calling you 'Sunbae'? It feels strange calling you anything else." She restlessly kicked her legs in the air.

After a moment, he smiled back at her.

"You can call me whatever you like. As long as you're sure."

"Of course I'm sure."

Ga Eul pressed her lips together.

"But," she began, settling her feet back on the bench underneath her, "I want you to promise me something too."

"I won't date anyone else here in Sweden."

"That's very decent of you, Sunbae, but that actually wasn't what I was going to say."

"Then what?"

"You have to video chat me once a week and show me what you've been working on. I'll call you at night when I have time. And you better pick up! How else will I know you're not just stealing the pottery I send you and passing it off as your own?"

"That's just another way of making sure I'm not with some other woman. I know how women think. Don't forget that."

"If you knew how women think, you wouldn't have asked Woo Bin to kidnap me. If this were a movie, you'd be the worst kind of stalker."

"And you'd be that creepy fan that keeps sending me pottery with handwritten undying confessions of love tucked inside."

"Who said anything about confessions? We have a business deal. I have to pay for the pots I broke, remember?"

"I said you could always pay for them another way."

"See, I knew you had ulterior motives in bringing me here."

Yi Jeong's dark eyes lit up with mischief.

"And yet you've decided to stay." He leaned in towards her, and his voice grew quieter. "What does that say about your intentions, Ga Eul-yang?"

Ga Eul glanced away and hopped down from the table.

"I don't intend anything," she muttered, bending over to pet the cat.

"Everyone wants something." Yi Jeong's dress shoes thudded onto the workshop floor. She heard him come up behind her, and she straightened up.

"Well…I don't," Ga Eul said, her back still turned to him.

"You're still a horrible liar."

She spun around.

"I'm not..."

Yi Jeong stood just a few inches away from her.

"…lying."

He didn't hesitate this time but pulled her to him and kissed her, slowly and fervently, like they had all the time in the world and none at all.

* * *

As Ga Eul stood in front of the sink in her bathroom some minutes later, splashing cold water on her face, the enormity of all that had happened that day suddenly hit her.

So Yi Jeong wanted her to be his girlfriend.

Her.

Chu Ga Eul.

In her matching pink pajamas that had dancing cupcakes with colored frosting batons.

Remembering which pajamas she had packed had given Ga Eul new reason to be glad they weren't sharing a room.

Ga Eul dearly hoped she wasn't some passing fancy of his—some vague new whim that he would soon lose interest in. As if in answer to her restless thoughts, a remark from Woo Bin earlier that day came rushing back into her head.

Yi Jeong had gone to ask the hotel concierge something, and Ga Eul and Woo Bin were standing around in the hotel lobby, reviewing the photos and cracking up at the ones that had turned out badly.

"He's really serious about you," Woo Bin said suddenly.

Ga Eul laughed nervously.

"How do you know that? I haven't even been his girlfriend for a day."

"Because Yi Jeong doesn't have girlfriends. He has dates." Woo Bin stopped fiddling with the camera for a moment and glanced up at her. "You're the first one."

"The first one?"

Woo Bin resumed his inspection of the photos.

"The first girlfriend he's ever had. Just don't be too hard on him at first, will you?"

_The first girlfriend he's ever had._

What an odd fact to learn about a guy whose very existence could command the attention of all the women in a crowded ballroom.

Ga Eul patted her face dry with the soft white hand towel hanging next to the sink. Going back into the bedroom, she wandered into the closet and inspected the clothes again, rubbing the soft fabrics between her fingers.

Why now? He hadn't known anything about the incident at the club. Why did he feel such a need to contact her all of a sudden, to lavish her with expensive gifts, to ensure they had a relationship in some official capacity? The Yi Jeong she had always known in Korea was so reserved with his true emotions. She almost didn't know how to react to a Yi Jeong who called her five times in one day just to see how she was or flew her to a different country just so he could 'spend time with her.'

Honestly, something didn't feel quite right. She didn't doubt Yi Jeong's sincerity, but there had been a sense of urgency in his voice earlier when he had asked her to trust him that made her feel uneasy.

Sitting down on the bed, Ga Eul took off her headband and slowly brushed her hair in the dim light from the single lamp on her bedside table, the steady rhythm of that familiar movement soothing her.

There was so much she didn't know about Yi Jeong, and none of the knowledge she already possessed had been offered up to her freely. In some ways, discovering the relationship between him and Eun Jae had made her feel like she was eavesdropping on a conversation between two lovers meant for only them to hear. Then there were those new pieces of pottery Yi Jeong had shown her in his workshop. He probably thought she hadn't noticed the slight, uncharacteristic imperfections in the art or the way he'd reach over and massage his hand like it pained him when he thought she wasn't looking. She had tried to ask about how his therapy was going during dinner, and he had given her a brief, vague answer and changed the subject to Ga Eul's college studies. She wondered if Yi Jeong would ever give her the truth about himself the way he had given her the designer skirt she had worn that night or if he would expect her to be grateful enough for his gifts that she refrained from probing too much into his private life.

"Be patient, Ga Eul-yang," she chided herself. "All good things in good time." She yawned through the last phrase and set the brush down on the small bedside table. Then, recalling her good night kiss, Ga Eul smiled contentedly as she pulled the lamp chain and turned out the light.


	13. Chapter 13

When Ga Eul arrived home late Monday afternoon, several enormous bags of groceries covered the top of the kitchen counter, which was located directly behind the living area. A few pots clanged together as her mother's figure emerged from behind the counter, attempting to pull something out from a bottom cabinet.

"Omma, I'm home," Ga Eul announced, setting her suitcases and carry-on down at the bottom of the stairs.

Her mother didn't answer but mumbled incoherently to herself as she flipped through the stained cookbook she had just retrieved.

"Omma?"

"Yes?" Her mother turned toward her distractedly. "Oh, Ga Eul! You're home. Did you have fun with your friends at the beach?"

"The beach?...Oh, yes. Yes, it was a lot of fun." Ga Eul hated lying to her parents, but she doubted they would think well of her staying alone with a guy—any guy—in another country for a whole weekend. She tried to make her voice sound normal, not that her mother would notice with her nose buried in that old cookbook of Ga Eul's grandmother's.

"That's good. That's good," her mother said, glancing up at Ga Eul and smiling quickly.

"Omma, are we expecting company?"

"Company?" Her mother looked up again and surveyed the room, as though expecting said company to magically appear. "No, why would you say that?"

"We have enough groceries to feed twenty people."

"Twenty people?" Her mother laughed gently, but the laughter didn't reach her eyes. "Don't be silly, Ga Eul. I just felt like doing a little cooking, that's all."

On the last occasion Ga Eul's mother had felt like doing 'a little cooking,' Ga Eul's father had lost his job at Shinwa. That unfortunate reaction of her mother's had resulted in a rare full-blown argument between her parents. Although Ga Eul wouldn't say that her parents' marriage was the happiest one, it wasn't necessarily an unhappy one either, at least as far as Ga Eul could tell, and they rarely fought over anything. They were simply two people suffering together in mutual solitude, bound by some implicit agreement to go about their responsibilities as though the action would overcome the intention, rendering their pain meaningless and numbing them to it in the end.

Her father worked, and her mother cooked.

Something had happened while Ga Eul had been gone.

"Omma, I'm just going to put my stuff in my room, and then I'll come help you."

"Don't you have homework to do? Just come eat something. This won't be ready for a while, but there's still some leftovers in the refrigerator."

"Okay." Ga Eul nodded and started up the stairs with her purse and the smaller suitcase Yi Jeong had forced upon her with all of her new clothes. "I'll be right back."

When she reached the top of the stairs, she halted abruptly. On either side of the little hallway, cardboard boxes had been piled halfway to the ceiling. The door to her brother's old room—the room her grandmother currently occupied—had been left open, and even from where she stood, Ga Eul could see that much of the room had been cleared out. Going into the bedroom, Ga Eul saw a few open boxes parked next to the dresser drawers, into which had been thrown her grandmother's picture frames, her hair curlers, her makeup odds and ends, her endless bottles of cheap perfume, her coat hangers, and the belts and bell-bottomed jeans she used to work in the garden she kept up in their tiny backyard. Several of her gardening books sat stacked on top of the dresser, accompanied by a few old romantic novels from the library, probably overdue. The baby powder scent that always clung to her grandmother's clothes hung in the air, lifelessly circulated by the ceiling fan turning slowly, slowly, slowly over the scene of her grandmother's departure.

"Omma!" Ga Eul thudded back down the stairs in her house slippers. "Where's Halmoni?"

Her mother kept her back turned to Ga Eul, hunching over the carrots she was chopping in an orderly, mechanical fashion.

"Your grandmother is visiting with some friends. She'll be moving in with your aunt a lot sooner than we expected. You might want to call her and tell her you got back from your trip all right."

Ga Eul couldn't recall her grandmother saying anything about moving before Ga Eul had left.

"What about all of her stuff? Isn't she coming back for it?"

"I think your uncle is going to come get most of those boxes on Friday."

"Why?" Ga Eul demanded. "Did something happen?" She didn't miss the way her mother's hands shook as she handled the greens she rinsed and sifted in a colander.

"They just got situated earlier than they thought, that's all."

"That isn't all. She didn't even call me."

"She probably didn't want to disturb you on your trip."

"Halmoni doesn't care about disturbing anyone."

"Besides, she was busy packing."

"Yes, it looks like she was leaving in an awful hurry."

"She had to leave sometime, Ga Eul," her mother snapped, her usually placid expression giving way to something akin to anger. Ga Eul almost stepped backward in shock. Then, almost as if taken aback with herself, her mother resumed tearing apart the greens and said, in much softer tone, "Anyway, she wasn't going to stay here forever."

Ga Eul fiddled with one of the loose cookbook pages and waited for more.

"Gong Yoo was here," her mother continued after a moment.

"Gong Yoo?" Ga Eul's frowned. "My brother's friend?"

"Yes, he was looking for you, but you weren't here. Your grandmother let him in."

"Ah…I see."

"He was in the army for six years, you know. He just got out."

Wondering if her mother might actually be willing to talk about the past for a change, Ga Eul responded, "I always wondered where he went to. I never heard anything from him after—"

"I think your father was rather upset when he came home and found Gong Yoo joining us for dinner."

"He ate dinner here?"

"He was going to, but your father wouldn't have it. You know how he gets. He's always thought Gong Yoo was a bad influence."

"But he was Oppa's best friend."

"Like I say, you know how your father gets." Her mother set the colander aside and pulled another bowl from underneath the counter. "I think Gong Yoo left something for you, though. It's up in your room." She motioned for Ga Eul to move over and laid out a few more ingredients on the counter, her rapid movements signaling that the conversation had ended.

Ga Eul moved gradually back toward the stairs, picked up her large pink suitcase, and went up to her bedroom. That room had become her safe haven over the years, with its brightly colored pink and lavender décor, wall-to-wall collages of friends and family photos, boy band posters, and ever-growing collection of stuffed animals. She liked to think of herself as a survivor, an optimist, a person for whom all the dark clouds of disappointment would always give way to the inevitable sunshine of a new day.

That day, on top of Ga Eul's long tan puppy dog pillow, which lay stretched across the bottom of her bed when not in use, sat her brother's old navy blue hoodie and beside that a small note from her grandmother: _Gong Yoo wanted me to give this to you. He said to tell you hello and to take care._

The last time her grandmother had lived with her and her parents, Ga Eul had been eleven. Her brother had been alive then. Her father actually said more than two or three words to them in a day, and her mother played upbeat music and chatted with the neighbors while Ga Eul played with Jan Di in the front yard.

Back then, she'd thought the world of her grandmother—how she'd always sneak sweets to Ga Eul when her parents weren't looking, how she never ratted her out to her mom when she'd been bad, how she always had the wisest and most logical explanations for everything that went on in the world. Looking back, though, Ga Eul realized that her sugar-coated childhood memories of her grandmother had successfully glossed over this one unalterable fact: her grandmother was loud, the type of person you hear way off down the street long before you see her face show up at your front gate. She said what she thought, and she never cared who heard it or what they thought about it. Ga Eul could only imagine what she must have said about Gong Yoo's visit that managed to set Ga Eul's father off so much it sent her grandmother packing.

Her grandmother didn't answer her phone when Ga Eul called, though, so she left a message stating that she had gotten home okay, that she wished she had been there to see Gong Yoo Oppa and that she was sad her grandmother would be leaving so soon.

A few minutes later, she received a message—not from her grandmother but from Jan Di, who wanted to know everything that had gone on over the long weekend when she saw Ga Eul at work the next day.

Work.

That reminded Ga Eul of something.

* * *

After Ga Eul finished classes on Friday, she intended to go straight home to finish unpacking from her trip, which she had been putting off since she got back, and then collapse into bed. When Ga Eul had finally gotten ahold of her grandmother, she mentioned that she had gotten settled in okay at her friend's house but otherwise said very little. The whole situation unnerved Ga Eul, and she blamed where she got off the bus on her need for distraction. Now, she stood in front of the café Il Hyun owned—had been standing there for an indeterminable amount of time—and stared at the rows and rows of wine glasses through the café windows and the two couples sipping lattes at the table she had sat at the only other time she'd been there. She didn't see Il Hyun or Eun Jae, though she assumed the latter would be teaching her pottery classes.

Pottery. Yi Jeong had been right about her liking it, and she did desperately want to make him something he would like, but it had been all too odd after she learned about his past relationship with Eun Jae to keep on going to her classes. Now that Eun Jae knew who had been asking her for advice, Ga Eul doubted Eun Jae would ever want to see her again. The thought saddened Ga Eul, as she'd come to think of her as an older sister in the few short months she had been taking pottery classes.

"Ga Eul-yang? Is that you?"

Ga Eul turned around to see Eun Jae standing behind her, dressed in a light blue blouse and a cream pencil skirt, her hair pulled back in a neat bun. Ga Eul, on the other hand, wearing her brother's oversized hoodie and jeans, looked like she had just come from taking two midterms after pulling an all-nighter because, well, she had. If Yi Jeong had been there, she imagined he might have died of embarrassment at her disheveled state.

"Ah, Songsaengnim, nice to see you." Ga Eul bowed and brushed some loose hair out of her face.

"Won't you come in for a moment?" Eun Jae walked up to the door and, opening it, motioned for Ga Eul to come in. "Il Hyun just started serving these new lemon pastries. They're quite delicious."

"Oh, um, I might need to get back. My parents, they'll want me home for dinner. But it was nice seeing you again, Songsaengnim. Take care." Ga Eul bowed again and started walking away when she heard Eun Jae call after her.

"How long did you know?"

Ga Eul stopped and turned to face Eun Jae again.

"Pardon me?"

"I mean…When did you find out Yi Jeong was my first love?"

Ga Eul glanced down at her boots for a moment and then lifted her gaze back to Eun Jae. "Since…well, since one day when I was working at the Clay House—you had already left—and Yi Jeong stopped by to see me. It was a surprise. I didn't know he was coming." Ga Eul shook her head nervously. "Anyway, that was the day you gave me that puzzle piece, so I had it out next to me on the table. He grabbed it and demanded to know whose it was. So that was how he found you." Her fingers fumbled with a button on her coat. "And that was how I found out he was your first love. I didn't know before that, I promise! I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but…I had really started to like him, and I had finally gotten to the point where I thought maybe, just _maybe_ he liked me, too, or at least was willing to give me a chance. That realization…it hurt so bad, and…I suppose I also thought it would have been a bit awkward to be around you if you knew, especially if the two of you started dating. It might be better if I just disappear."

"He really likes you," Eun Jae stated matter-of-factly.

Ga Eul's eyes widened in surprise.

"How do you know that?"

"You said he came to see you? Before he knew that was my studio?"

Ga Eul nodded.

Eun Jae smiled. "He was never like that. Women came to him…flocked to him…some more clingy than others. Even I only had his attention for so long. Whenever I saw Yi Jeong, it was because I sought him out. I always wished one day he'd come running to me. Or at least walking in my direction." Eun Jae sighed. "Seeing you two together hurt more than I'd like to admit. I know I'm engaged to Il Hyun now, and I really do love him, but I suppose some small, untouchable part of my heart will always be reserved for my first love. I think every girl is like that. But Ga Eul…" She stepped closer to Ga Eul, reached out, and took one of her hands. "What I want more than anything is for him to be happy and at peace, and I think you do that for him. Il Hyun said that you were the reason he decided not to give up on pottery."

"Oh? Yi Jeong told his brother that?"

"All I could was look on helplessly while he cried. You made him into a stronger person. If anything, I owe you a debt." Dropping Ga Eul's hand, she adjusted her purse and smiled fondly, if a bit sadly, at Ga Eul. "Aren't you going to come back and make pottery with me? I'm stuck with a bunch of old women again. Not that I mind them, but, like I said before, it's nice having someone close to my age to talk to. We budding young artists have to stick together, you know."

At that, Ga Eul smiled back.

"Songsaengnim, you really are an amazing person."

"Come on." Eun Jae nodded toward the café. "Let's get those lemon pastries. It'll give me an excuse to eat one too." Eun Jae put her arm around Ga Eul and walked her to the door. "And then you'll have to catch me up on all that's happened in the past few months…"

* * *

It was ten o'clock at night, but Ga Eul still had her makeup on. In fact, she had just finished touching it up. The one good part about her grandmother moving out was that Ga Eul got her bathroom all to herself again and didn't have to worry about her grandmother nosily listening in to her late night conversations. Speaking of which, she had been puzzling over what to wear for an hour, which was just silly consider she wasn't going on an actual date. Whose ridiculous idea was it to have a video chat anyway instead of a normal phone call?

Oh, right. Hers.

What would they talk about? Her grandmother moving out? At the moment, Ga Eul would like to forget that whole drama-including the rather irate manner in which her uncle had moved everything out the day before-so she doubted she would even mention it.

Taking up pottery with Eun Jae again? That topic still felt too awkward.

School? Again, too stressful and, quite frankly, boring.

The giant stuffed Rilakkuma bears she'd seen on sale in one of the stores near the porridge shop?

What was she? Five?

Mild panic set in as she realized she didn't really know much about Yi Jeong's interests or hobbies besides pottery and, well, the more obvious ones that went along with a reputation like his.

Then again, maybe he was freaking out as much as her.

She hoped so.

She doubted it.

Taking a deep breath, she logged onto her Skype account and, seeing he was already online, hit the video call button.

When Yi Jeong had turned on his laptop, Ga Eul hadn't come online yet, and he'd spent a few minutes alternately glancing between her profile photo and the take-home exam he'd been distracting himself with for the past hour. Although Ga Eul had only been with him for three days—two days, really—the house felt empty without her, and Yi Jeong started to wonder how he had made it for two months without hearing anything from her before.

He also started to wonder if he was turning into Jun Pyo or simply going mad.

On Sunday, he had taken her to Gamla Stan, the old town center of Stockholm, where she had taken copious amounts of photos like he knew she would, and to the Moderna Museet, which held a vast collection of priceless art from the 20th and 21st centuries. He had been a bit surprised when she suggested they visit the art museum because she seemed to like being outdoors so much. In any event, most of the girls he had dated before—however briefly—either wanted to go shopping or out to some fancy restaurant or club. The few times he had taken someone to the Woo Sung Museum it had merely been to show off his wealth, and they fawned over the pieces he had created himself for a while but quickly became bored of the museum itself. Ga Eul, on the other hand, had a genuine appreciation for art even if she knew relatively little about it, and he suspected she had chosen that place because she thought he would enjoy it, which brought a smile to his face even now as he pushed the exam papers aside and fiddled with his pen.

Before Ga Eul left for Korea, they'd agreed to call each other at this time on Saturdays. If they kept it up, it would be the most constancy Yi Jeong had had in his life in a long time.

An incoming call flashed up on his laptop, and when he had accepted it, a cheerful image of Ga Eul appeared, looking a bit too dressed up to be spending the evening at home doing nothing but homework.

"Ga Eul-yang, do you normally wear headbands to sleep? Doesn't that get uncomfortable?"

Ga Eul's cheery expression gave way to nervousness.

"W-what?" She felt up at the top of her head and pulled her sparkly purple headband down. It had a large purple flower on it and had been her favorite headband for several years, but Yi Jeong probably thought it rather childish.

"What am I going to do with you? See, I'm not even there, and I'm making you nervous."

"Who said I was nervous? I just—anyway, you haven't even said 'hello' to me yet. Most people say 'hello' when they start conversations. If you really want to be polite, you can ask me how my day was."

"Since when have you known me to be polite? I don't normally do this type of stuff, you know."

"This type of stuff?"

"I think you should show me your room."

"My room? Why?"

"I showed you my whole house. How can you not even show me what your room looks like?"

"Well…" Ga Eul glanced up at the glittery hand-painted sign she and a friend had made for an EXO concert two years before. "Okay…but you have to promise not to make fun of me."

"But making fun of you is my hobby. Besides, you always have some clever thing to say in reply."

"And people think you're so charming."

"Come on, Ga Eul-yang. You can do better than that."

Ga Eul scoffed, turned her laptop around, and walked it around the room.

A bunch of photos passed across Yi Jeong's screen—some in collages on the wall, some in single frames, some simply stuck in the bottom of her vanity mirror.

"Happy now?"

"Ga Eul-yang, how many pictures do you have in your bedroom? I'm surprised there's room for anything else."

"Well, sometimes I can't choose, so I just put them all up." Ga Eul sat back down on her bed and turned her laptop around to face herself. "I make scrapbooks too, but I haven't done any since I started college. Not enough time."

Yi Jeong appeared to think about that for a moment.

"Did you make scrapbooks of the trips you took with us?"

"Maybe."

"You should show me sometime."

"I'm not sure that you want to see them. I took a lot of candid shots. It might ruin the perception you have of yourself."

"Sure you're not worried about all the selfies you put in there?"

"Why would I put those in a scrapbook? The last thing any girl wants to do is stare at hundreds of horrible photos of herself."

"So you admit you take that many photos of yourself?"

"That's not—"

"And you always act like I'm the conceited one."

"You don't have to take photos of yourself, Sunbae. You have plenty of people following you around for that."

An unreadable expression passed across Yi Jeong's face then, just a flicker of some other place his mind must have gone to for a moment, and then it was gone, replaced by a smug grin.

"Well, you would know all about that, wouldn't you, Ga Eul-yang? And how many photos do you have of me, exactly?"

"I don't know," Ga Eul said, her face turning red. "Why should I keep up with that? Anyway, you're supposed to show me what you've been working on."

"Anything for my biggest fan."

"Pabo."


	14. Chapter 14

_Early December_

So Hyun Sub had long since grown bored of looking at the financial figures in front of him—projections of the estimated costs and benefits of the next few months' worth of exhibitions at the museum.

Not that it particularly mattered what he thought. He had already learned from his father that the management of the museum would be in large part turned over to Yi Jeong upon his return, provided Yi Jeong took his responsibilities seriously. The thought that Yi Jeong most likely would receive the same ultimatum he had been given many years ago might have once given Hyun Sub some sick satisfaction that at least he would not be alone in his misery. A few days ago, however, a woman had turned up at his office that he thought he would never see again in this lifetime. She had the same petite figure and the same chocolate brown eyes, but she had cut all of her beautiful hair into a short bob. Suddenly, Hyun Sub was twenty years old again, watching that same woman walk away from him in a dimly lit club and knowing that once she disappeared from sight her defiant shoulders would sag and her vibrant eyes would lose the luster he had put there when they were yet innocent and invincible children.

_Today, my son, you have crossed the line._

"It's been a long time," she said as soon as she stepped into the office, not bothering with formalities. "I trust you've been well."

Hyun Sub set aside the ceramic he'd been examining and stood up.

"Baek So Ri-ssi," he replied, holding her gaze. "I thought you were in France."

"Indeed, I've lived in France for over twenty years." She kept her tone even, and her eyes regarded him without emotion. "I'm back in the country for a week or so. I heard your son is studying in Sweden."

"My second son, yes."

"I'm sure you must be very proud of him. He won quite a few awards, I know. I even had the privilege of seeing one of his exhibitions abroad."

"He's very talented."

"Mmm, like father like son." Some unreadable emotion flickered in her eyes, but her expression stayed neutral, and a moment of awkward silence set in.

"Is there…something I can do for you, So Ri-ah?"

At the endearment, So Ri bristled. She looked like she might say more but ultimately gave him a tight smile instead.

"Aniyo. I was just in the museum and thought I would stop by. Forgive me for disturbing your work. Until we meet again, So Hyun Sub-ssi." Bowing as she hadn't when she had walked in, So Ri left. The door shut behind her with a firm finality that kept Hyun Sub momentarily rooted to the spot. In truth, when he sat back down at his desk, he almost couldn't believe that the occurrence hadn't been a dream or a hallucination brought on by another alcohol-induced stupor. How many times he must have dreamt of her coming back to him, he couldn't say.

As she had spoken, he had studied her rigid posture, the faint glimmer of discomfort on her face, the slight sharpness of her tone even as she sang his son's praises. Gone was the graceful woman of his dreams. Gone was the fragile girl of his past. He had heard she had married a successful businessman who owned an international hotel chain and had settled in France shortly after Hyun Sub's own marriage had taken place. For years, he'd heard vague rumors about her life from people in their circle who knew her husband through business deals. He knew she had one son who would take over the business one day and a younger daughter around Yi Jeong's age. Both of them had been born and raised in France, and, as far as he knew, So Ri rarely traveled back to Korea to visit, even with her children.

It was just as well. He had no desire to run into her at any number of the pressing social and business obligations that dictated much of his calendar.

Hyun Sub took out a bottle of red wine from a cabinet and poured himself a glass. Opening the bottom drawer in his desk, he pulled out a small glass bottle with many tiny origami stars of different patterns folded inside. The bottle's cork had a worn green ribbon tied around it, and once there had been a note tied to the cork, too.

_For your birthday_ , it had said, _I grant you one wish for every star in this bottle_.

So Ri had given him that on his nineteenth birthday. On that day, she had been wearing a lavender sundress, and her long wavy hair had been tossing about in the wind as they walked along the shore of a lake at sunset. He remembered sometime later that night they drank a bit too much wine and chased each other into the lake, fully clothed, which resulted in both of them getting sore throats and in him getting a stern lecture from his father about being more responsible. They had been in college then—budding young artists with bright futures—and he had thought if they could just hold onto every moment together like that, every moment as it came, then they could hold on forever.

But today was not Hyun Sub's birthday, and neither she nor the gods had ever granted him his wish.

* * *

It wasn't Yi Jeong's birthday, but it had felt like it when he arrived home that afternoon to find a small package sitting in front of his door. International mail from one Chu Ga Eul in South Korea.

Setting the books from his morning classes down on one of his worktables, he perused Ga Eul's neat handwriting on the box before ripping off the tape as carefully as he could, careful not to disturb the box's contents. Milo hopped up on the table beside Yi Jeong's books and peered up at him curiously. Yi Jeong had started letting him in whenever he came home, and the cat seemed to be warming up to him. He wasn't overly affectionate, but he often curled up on one of the high counters in Yi Jeong's workshop and watched him while he threw clay on the wheel. Yi Jeong found this silent but constant audience encouraging—or maybe the cat just reminded him of Ga Eul—and he sometimes talked to Milo while he worked. As he pulled out the note on top of the parcel wrapped in thick brown paper and purple bubble wrap, Milo's neck craned toward him, and his tail flicked back and forth a few times.

"Oh, no. This isn't your letter, and don't think I'm going to read it to you either," Yi Jeong said, unfolding the paper. Ga Eul's pink stationery featured a few cute, colorful bears dancing across the bottom of it and miniature red and pink hearts bordering the entire page. Her letter stretched the length of the page in handwriting so perfect he thought surely she must have drafted the letter on another piece of paper before copying it onto her stationery.

The letter read:

_Sunbae,_

_I hope you have a shelf cleared off for all the pottery you will be receiving in Sweden. Here is the first one. Please don't laugh at it. It took me a long time to get the dimensions just right, and since I had been away from pottery for a while, I had to get Eun Jae Seongsaengnim to help me with some of it. I don't think I told you, but I've started taking pottery with her again. I hope you don't mind. I thought she would be mad at me, but she's just as kind and understanding as she's always been, and I have to admit I'm glad. I had missed talking to her. She's like the older sister I never had._

_Sorry, that went off on a tangent._

On second thought, maybe Ga Eul always wrote that neatly. Contrary to what she might think, he wasn't mad that she had taken up pottery with Eun Jae again. In fact, he was glad the two of them were still friends. At least he knew someone would be looking out for Ga Eul while he was gone.

_You can go ahead and open up your package if you haven't already._

Yi Jeong unwrapped the first and second layers of bubble wrap and then proceeded to peel away so much paper he almost believed Ga Eul had sent him an empty box as a joke. Finally, though, he uncovered a small picture frame—a 3" x 5" he believed—that held a picture of him and Ga Eul from her visit a month earlier. They had been standing beside the Norrström River, and she had asked a passerby to take a picture of them with the water in the background.

Yi Jeong chuckled to himself. Or course Ga Eul would send a picture. The frame itself was rectangular with an oval opening for the picture in the center and had been decorated with a plain light blue glaze dotted with tiny yellow flowers.

_You're laughing, aren't you? Well, I suppose that's good, anyway. Hopefully, I cheered you up if you were having a bad day._

_Just remember, I'm going to get a lot better in the time that you're gone, so you have to make sure and keep up with me._

_Also, Woo Bin said something about a Christmas get-together while we're all on vacation from school (except for poor Jun Pyo Sunbae, of course). I hope we go skiing again, and I hope you can come. I have to stop writing now. My mother's calling me for dinner. But talk to you soon?_

_Yours truly,_

_Chu Ga Eul_

_Talk to you soon_ , Yi Jeong thought, reading back over the letter and considering how irate Jun Pyo would get at the mere thought of someone calling him "poor." Although Yi Jeong had never kept in touch with any girl for any mentionable period of time and at first wasn't quite sure how to go about it, Ga Eul always found some amusing thing or other for them to talk about, and he looked forward to their Saturday night conversations more than anything else during the week. More, even, than working on his pottery, and pottery had always been his escape, his safe place he could run to when the outside world got too dark and heavy. It had always amazed him that he could pour any sort of emotion into a pot—anger, fear, lust, envy, pain—and it would still turn out beautiful in the end, unlike the people he took his more volatile emotions out on. Unlike how his mother turned out because of his father's licentiousness and utter disregard.

Not that Yi Jeong wanted to think about that at the moment. In fact, he'd been doing his best since he arrived in Sweden to minimize his conversations with her. He usually wouldn't answer the first time she called, but if she didn't call back within so many minutes, he would assume she was having a good day and would return her call. They chatted briefly during those times about how his classes and his pottery were going. Sometimes, she would talk about his future and would ask if he had met anyone, although he never mentioned Ga Eul to her for fear that that information would slip out in front of his grandfather during one of her episodes. It was easy during those conversations to pretend that they were a normal family and that she was a perfectly sane woman calling to ask about her son, to make sure he was eating well, to inquire about his grades, or to tease him about whatever girlfriend he must be keeping secret. Still, he would always be the first to end the conversation because he knew he was a fool even for pretending. When he was a little kid, his mother would experience rare days of rational thought where she would invite him to sit on her lap while she read to him, and, like a starving dog having a treat dangled in front of him, Yi Jeong would oblige her, listening to her soft, sweet voice until it lulled him to sleep. Sometimes he would awaken on her bed and roll over to find her asleep beside him. Sometimes he would awaken in his own bed to the sound of her screaming or crying out pitifully to his father, demanding why. Why could he not show even an ounce of human decency toward her? Why when she loved him so much, when she did whatever he asked without question, when she had given him two capable, talented sons? Questions that never got answered. Pleas that fell on deaf ears.

The caller ID on his cellphone told him his mother was calling again for the third time since he had entered the house, which could only mean she had fallen into hysteria over his father's latest mistress. Rejecting the call, he walked back to his bedroom to put up the photograph on the dresser in his bedroom. Then he scrolled through his contacts and dialed Ga Eul's number, hoping that she wasn't in the middle of class but partly not caring even if she was. Surely her boyfriend was more important than a Calculus exam.

* * *

Fat Cat's owner had gone away on business again, and Ga Eul had been tasked with feeding him twice a day, as she had done for the past six years when his owner was away. Her brother had initially introduced her to Fat Cat in much the same way she had introduced Yi Jeong to him. One day as he walked her home from elementary school, she had been teasing him about some juicy bit of information she was going to tell their parents about when he suddenly grabbed her bookbag and held it over her head to where she couldn't reach it. Just when she had given up and began pleading with him to give it back, promising she wouldn't say anything about the gossip she'd heard, he had thrown her bookbag over the fence and told her to climb over and get it. Such had been her first encounter with Fat Cat. Her mom had complained later that night about all the dog hair that had plastered itself onto Ga Eul's school uniform, but Ga Eul didn't care. She had made a new friend.

Today, she had decided to wear a blue silk blouse Yi Jeong had bought for her but paired it with one of her inexpensive gray cardigans since she felt somewhat conspicuous wearing the designer clothing. If her mother had noticed the flamboyant new editions to Ga Eul's wardrobe, she hadn't said anything, at least not yet, and Ga Eul tried to draw the least attention to them possible. However, on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays when she worked at the café, Ga Eul liked to dress nicely because Il Hyun always dressed that way, a habit leftover from his days as a chaebol and heir apparent Ga Eul suspected. After she had started taking pottery again with Eun Jae, she had learned how Yi Jeong had been chosen over Il Hyun to be the successor and how he had cut ties with the family for the most part after that. He seemed content now, though, to manage his small café and make plans with his fiancé, and Ga Eul felt glad for the both of them and happy to be included in their circle. Il Hyun had been teaching her to make latte art, and she kept joking that if she failed out of university at least she would have a promising career as a barista.

As she poured fresh water into Fat Cat's bowl, she made a mental note to make Yi Jeong one of her latte creations when she next saw him, hopefully during Christmas.

She picked up her bookbag and, after giving Fat Cat one last belly rub, headed out of the gate and turned toward her house.

"Still picking on that dog, I see."

Ga Eul froze.

"But you're not wearing your uniform anymore. How is it that you're in college already?"

That voice. It found an echo somewhere deep in Ga Eul's memory.

Slowly, she turned around. In front of the gate from which she had just emerged stood a tall man probably in his mid-twenties wearing a plain white t-shirt, jeans, and a worn black leather jacket. He wore his hair in a buzz cut, exposing a sharply defined, angular face which a familiar scar streaked from top to bottom on the right side.

"Gong Yoo Oppa?"

He nodded, grinning.

Ga Eul herself broke into a huge grin.

"Oppa!" She ran up and hugged him.

When she finally pulled back, he said, "I can't pick you up and twirl you around now. You're all grown up…You look pretty."

Blushing, Ga Eul punched him lightly on the arm.

"How can you say that? You've been away for so long I hardly recognized you. How was the army? Are you going back to school or do you have a job? Are you living with your family again?"

"Hey, hey, one question at a time. I take it back. You haven't changed at all."

Ga Eul made a pouting expression.

"You haven't changed either. You still won't answer my questions."

Gong Yoo reached over and affectionately ruffled her hair.

"Brat."

Knocking his arm away, Ga Eul replied, "Meanie." When he didn't say anything, she continued, "I heard you tried to visit me the other day. I'm sorry I wasn't there. I had gone with some friends on a trip."

Gong Yoo nodded.

"So I heard. You're friends with some pretty important people now, aren't you?"

At Ga Eul's questioning look, he explained, "Your grandmother told me about Jan Di. Wow." He stuck his hands in his pockets and looked her over. "My little sister's moving up in the world and leaving us poor old bastards behind."

"Hardly. I do have a job, you know."

"Oh?"

"Mm-hmm. I've had one since I was sixteen, no, fifteen. I was almost sixteen when I started working at the porridge shop. But now I work at a coffee shop."

"See? You haven't changed. The hard worker. The model student. I bet you even got a scholarship for college."

"Well…yes..."

"I tell you what, you're well on your way to becoming a respectable citizen of society. Not bad for someone who was half-raised by us hooligans. Me and your brother, I mean."

"You weren't that bad."

"Tell that to your dad. Remember that time—nah, you were too little to remember this—but we decided to barbecue these insects we'd found in your backyard just to see what they would taste like. We scorched a patch of grass pretty badly and nearly set the house on fire." Gong Yoo laughed. The sound was brittle, like crackling twigs. "We were always getting into some stupid shit like that. I can't say I blame him for not wanting to see me in his house. He's probably still afraid I'll burn it down."

"No, I do remember—the scorched grass, at least. I told Jan Di that was where aliens had landed in the middle of the night and tried to kidnap us, but my dad was too tough for them." She kicked at a pebble and rolled it around underneath her shoe. "I heard he kicked you out."

"Yeah, he did. It was just like old times." Gong Yoo pulled a carton of cigarettes out of his pocket and lit one up.

Ga Eul coughed and waved her hand as some of the smoke blew in her direction.

"Those things are going to kill you one day if you're not careful."

"Yeah, well, from the time you're born, there's plenty of ways to die."

Gong Yoo must have noticed the shift in Ga Eul's expression because he quickly continued, "Sorry. I didn't mean anything by that."

"It's okay. I wasn't thinking anything. Oh! By the way, thank you for my brother's hoodie. I didn't even know you had it."

"Yeah, I found it when I was packing and going through stuff at my parent's house."

"You're leaving?"

"Moving to Taiwan."

"Oh. So far away? Why? Do you know anyone there?"

At that moment, Ga Eul's phone began ringing and wouldn't stop.

"Hold on a moment, will you, Oppa?" she said when she pulled out her phone and saw Yi Jeong's number.

"Hello? Sunbae?"

"Ga Eul-yang, are you busy right now?"

"Oh…aniyo, but…I'm meeting with an old friend right now. I haven't him seen in a long time. Is it okay if I call you back?"

A short silence followed, but then Yi Jeong answered, "Ah, yes, of course, it's fine. Sorry to bother you."

"I'll call you later tonight, okay? I promise."

"Yeah, sure, just call me anytime."

"Okay, bye."

"Take care."

"Sorry, Oppa," Ga Eul said as she hung up the phone. "That was…Actually, can you keep a secret?"

"Aniyo, I'm going to send your dad letters from Taiwan telling him all about this secret boyfriend you have."

"How could you tell that was my boyfriend?"

"Just a guess, but thanks for confirming it."

"You were always able to trick me."

"You're not that hard to trick. You know that, right?"

"I know you always used to make fun of me for it."

"I bet your boyfriend's having an amusing time right now. Just don't be too gullible, Chu Ga Eul. Not all guys are nice like me and your brother."

"Well, don't worry, my boyfriend is. And since you're also so nice, how about I buy you something to eat? Like a…a reunion present?"

"A reunion present?" Gong Yoo quirked an eyebrow. "All right, but no underage drinking allowed."

"I'm not underage."

"Tell that to your brother. He'd come back from the grave and kill me in my sleep if I got you drunk."

"Well, I don't drink," Ga Eul said as they started walking toward the bus stop.

"That's good because I'm not buying you anything."

"I know, I know. I'm just telling you."

"No, I'm just telling _you_."


	15. Chapter 15

Ga Eul awoke to a splitting headache and rolled over in her bed to find that the morning was already half-gone. Shutting her eyes against the bright sunlight streaming in through her window, she buried her head underneath her covers. Her memories of the previous night were foggy, but she remembered she and Gong Yoo going to the same restaurant she had taken Yi Jeong too. They had eaten chitlins, and Gong Yoo drank soju—several bottles, one after the other—while he and Ga Eul relived all of their best—and worst—memories of her brother and Gong Yoo getting berated by her parents for their stupid pranks. At some point, he had dared Ga Eul to do a shot, and she had accepted the glass handed to her and then another and then another. She could still feel that burning, tingling sensation in the back of her throat even now. How much had she had?

She could remember them walking along the street to her house in the dead of night and Gong Yoo saying something. What was it?

_If anyone tells you about your brother_ …

Ga Eul shook her head and tried to hear his voice again.

_If anyone tells you anything bad about your brother, don't_ …

Don't? Don't what?

Ga Eul's phone rung, the obnoxiously loud ringtone making Ga Eul cringe and hold a pillow against her ears. Honestly, when did that song get to be so annoying? After a few minutes, when it became obvious that the caller would not give up, Ga Eul threw the pillow aside and sat halfway up.

Grabbing her phone from off the top of her nightstand, she picked up the call.

It was Yi Jeong.

"Oh, Sunbae…hello," she said, her voice barely above a whisper and sounding raspy even to her own ears.

"Ga Eul-yang." Ga Eul pulled the phone away from her ear and held it at a little distance. "Are you okay? Did I wake you? What time is it there?"

"Ah, no, I was already awake. Sunbae, maybe you could talk a little quieter?" Ga Eul slid back down under her covers and tossed them lightly over her head.

"What? Ga Eul-yang, I can hardly hear you."

Ga Eul put the phone back up to her ear grudgingly.

"Is that better?"

"Yeah, your voice still sounds kinda muffled though. Are you sick?"

"Hmm? Oh, no. No, that's not it. Actually, I don't feel so well. Could I call you back later? Or if this is important I can talk to you now."

"No, I was just expecting your call, that's all. I thought maybe something had happened."

Her call?

Aish, she forgot to call him the night before.

"Ga Eul-yang?"

"Ah, oh that. I'm sorry Sunbae. I was out…I mean I went out to eat with my friend and then I was out kinda late. I must have been so tired when I get home." Ga Eul yawned through the word _tired_ , as if her body was trying to confirm the statement. "I don't remember."

"Ga Eul-yang, are you hungover?"

"What?"

"Ga Eul-yang." Yi Jeong dropped his voice to an almost-whisper. "Go get something to eat. The sooner you get some carbs in your system, the sooner you'll feel better."

"Aniyo, I don't want to get out of bed. The sun's too bright."

"Who was that yesterday anyway?"

"My brother's old friend. I mean…we were all friends."

"So you let him get you so drunk you don't remember anything?"

Ga Eul could hear the barely veiled annoyance in Yi Jeong's voice.

"I do remember…some things."

"Ga Eul-yang, where are you?"

"At home. In my bedroom. Hold on. Let me check." Ga Eul poked her head out from under the covers to see her old giraffe stuffed animal smiling at her from its perch by the closet door. Looking at the giraffe, she answered, "Yep. I'm at home."

"That's not funny, Ga Eul-yang. What if something happened to you?"

"What's going to happen to me with Gong Yoo Oppa? We've known each other for years."

"I thought you hadn't seen him for years."

"Yes, but…we knew each other for years before that. Besides, it was the last time I was going to get see him before he moved to Taiwan."

"Are you even listening to yourself? You let a guy you haven't heard from in years get you so drunk you hardly remember anything right before he disappears to another country. You're too trusting. You know that, right?"

_You're too trusting_ …Hadn't Gong Yoo said a similar thing to her the night before?

All of a sudden, Ga Eul felt like crying, and her headache came back full force.

"Yi Jeong Sunbae, please stop yelling at me," she whispered. "I'm fine. I just want to go back to sleep, okay?"

Yi Jeong sighed.

"Okay." He lowered his voice again from where it had climbed to a normal speaking decibel. "Get some rest. But eat something, will you?"

"I promise." Ga Eul nodded into her pillow though she knew somewhere in the back of her mind that Yi Jeong couldn't see her.

"Bye."

"Good night," Ga Eul mumbled into the phone. Hanging it up, she didn't even bother putting it back on her night stand but snuggled into the silent dark of her covers once more.

There. Perfect.

Except it felt like she was forgetting something, and it wasn't just calling Yi Jeong.

Today was Saturday, though, which meant that she didn't have classes, and she didn't even have work because she wasn't scheduled to work Saturday of this week. Actually, Il Hyun didn't normally schedule her for Saturdays, although she had repeatedly assured him she could work more days without it affecting her studies.

Ga Eul yawned again.

Well, she knew she didn't have to feed Fat Cat because his owner had come back yesterday.

Yesterday? No, wait, she did feed him yesterday, and his owner most definitely was not at home.

Ga Eul shook her head and rolled over so that she was lying on her back.

Suddenly, her eyes shot wide open, and she threw off the covers and stood up.

Her alarm clock read 10:20 AM.

10:20 AM on Friday.

Not only had she missed her final Calculus class that morning, but now her final photography project was due in less than four hours!


	16. Chapter 16

In true F4 fashion, an entire ski lodge had been rented out for their stay in the mountains. Ga Eul and Jan Di arrived first with Ji Hoo, and the trio was quickly joined by Woo Bin and Jun Pyo's sister, Jun Hee, who had decided to join them in Jun Pyo's place. Yi Jeong didn't make it until the second evening of their stay, and by then Ga Eul was even more a bundle of nerves as she still didn't know quite how to explain what had happened that night with Gong Yoo to him. After the panic over her photography project had passed—she did manage to turn it in on time, miraculously—a new panic set in as she worried about her upcoming finals. For the next week or so she had a legitimate reason to limit her contact with Yi Jeong to two phone conversations, a few minutes a piece, because, realistically, she did need time to study. However, these brief conversations between them did nothing to ease her mind about how Yi Jeong must view her. She knew he probably knew her well enough not to think she actually did anything wrong, but she hated him thinking her stupid and naïve because it made her feel that much more immature compared to him. Then Christmas came and went all too quickly, and right before New Year's she found herself in his physical presence once again, feeling like the bumbling schoolgirl she'd been a few short months ago before he left for Sweden.

Yi Jeong, for his part, wished Ga Eul would open her mouth and say what she was thinking like she normally did. Except for greeting and hugging him when he arrived and giving short, vague answers to his questions about her final exams, she'd been as closed off as a clam.

Then there was that Gong Yoo character. He'd had Woo Bin look into him, discreetly of course, and the mafia heir had come up with…well…nothing. It seemed Kim Gong Yoo had attended the same high school as Ga Eul and her brother but never graduated, and, shortly after Ga Eul's brother passed away, he completely vanished off the grid for six years until one day he resurfaced in Seoul—the day he'd gone to visit Ga Eul and she had been in Sweden.

She'd said he'd been in the army, which Woo Bin could find no record of. She'd said he'd only come by to give her an old hoodie of her brother's that he found while packing.

Okay, fine. He'd left it with her grandmother. Why did he have to show up in front of her again? He must have known exactly where she'd be on that day at that time. He must have been watching her, stalking her even. Yi Jeong didn't know what to make of the whole situation, but he knew he didn't like it. Something didn't feel right. He'd deliberated over the wisdom of telling her what he'd learned, though, and had finally decided not to say anything just yet, at least not until he could find out more information. She'd probably be furious with him for digging into it, anyway, instead of trusting this Gong Yoo person and, by extension, herself.

At the moment, she sat next to him in the circle the six friends had formed on the floor of the lodge's cozy sitting room. On the other side of her sat Jan Di, then Jun Hee, followed by Ji Hoo and Woo Bin. Earlier, Woo Bin had jokingly suggested they play Truth or Dare again, and somehow that had turned into Ten Fingers, which Jun Hee said ought to be entertaining since she hadn't played it since her own college days.

"I'll make sure these guys spill all their secrets." She winked at Jan Di and Ga Eul, prompting some nervous laughter from the two girls.

"That's not fair," Woo Bin protested as he made his way over to the minibar. "You know all the really embarrassing stuff from our childhood."

"Woo Bin, we're all friends here. What is it exactly that you're trying to hide?" She laughed and gave the girls another playful smile.

"If we're all friends here, you don't mind if we play this the right way then, right?" Woo Bin pulled out a bottle of soju and set it down in the middle of the group, along with a few shot glasses. "This a drinking game, you know." He sat back down in his spot and ribbed Ji Hoo, who looked as unaffected by this exchange of words as ever but looked over at Jan Di as if to gauge her reaction.

Yi Jeong glanced over at Jan Di, who sputtered a protest on Ga Eul's behalf, and then back at Ga Eul, who interrupted her.

"Jan Di, it's okay. Woo Bin Sunbae's right. We should play the correct way."

Jan Di looked at Ga Eul, and the surprised expression on her face mirrored Yi Jeong's own.

"Besides," Ga Eul continued, pulling one of the shot glasses towards her, "I've drunk alcohol before with plenty of people. You don't know because we haven't gone to school together for so long. It doesn't mean anything."

"That's the spirit!" Woo Bin exclaimed and, leaning over, pushed the remaining shot glasses towards everyone else, including Jan Di.

Jan Di grudgingly accepted the glass, and the game began.

"I'll go first," Woo Bin said, looking pointedly at Jan Di. "Never have I ever worn a dress."

"That was a cheap shot," Jan Di complained, reaching for the bottle.

"It was," Jun Hee said, putting down one of her fingers. "But Woo Bin, aren't you going to regret that?"

"What do you mean?"

"Aren't you going to drink too? You probably don't remember this, but when you were five you had a huge crush on me. You used to follow me everywhere, and one day—I think Jun Pyo was sick or something—you let me talk you into dressing up in my mom's clothes."

"What?" Yi Jeong could help but burst out. "You wore the Witch's clothes? You were in her bedroom?"

Jun Hee started laughing.

"It was some sort of dare or something."

"I don't remember any of that," Woo Bin protested, though his usual self-assured expression had faltered a bit. "But I'll take a drink anyway since you want me to so much. Yi Jeong, it's your turn."

"I don't know how I'm supposed to recover from the shock of that information," Yi Jeong replied.

He also didn't know what Ga Eul was trying to prove. She'd taken her drink with all the fervor of a field mouse entering a cat fight. Seasoned drinker, his foot.

"Never have I ever…cheated on an exam." He poured himself a glass and drank it along with Woo Bin.

"Ya, we always cheated off each other," Woo Bin said. "Why would you say that?"

"I think the two of you just want to lose," Jun Hee said, downing her own glass.

"Noona, you cheated on an exam?" Woo Bin asked.

"Once." She put down another finger. "Ga Eul, you're next."

"Oh, um, hmm…" Ga Eul fiddled with the hem on her skirt. "Never have I ever…shoplifted something."

"Wrong crowd," Woo Bin chided. "None of us would need to…Hey! Why are you drinking?"

Ji Hoo set down his glass and smiled at Woo Bin. When he didn't say anything, Jan Di blurted out, "How can I not know such things about my Sunbae?"

Ji Hoo turned his attention to Jan Di.

"When I was four, I remember wanting some candy at a store, and my parents wouldn't get it for me, but it was sitting low enough for me to reach, so when they weren't looking, I grabbed it and put it in my pocket."

"Wow," Jan Di murmured. "Now we're learning who everyone really is. All right then. Never have I ever been arrested."

Woo Bin took a shot.

"Drunk driving." He grinned sheepishly. "It didn't last long. Whoever took me in had no idea who he was dealing with."

"Never have I ever been trapped in an elevator," Jun Hee said. Jan Di drank on that one, though she mumbled something about it not technically being an elevator.

Then Ji Hoo cleared his throat and said, in the calmest voice imaginable, "Never have I ever been bribed into chaperoning the best friend of my best friend's girlfriend."

Yi Jeong scowled at him and took a shot.

"That was very specific," Yi Jeong replied.

Ji Hoo just smiled.

"Hey," Woo Bin chimed in, "Aren't you two going to tell us the story?"

"What story?" Yi Jeong and Ga Eul answered at the same time. They made eye contact for a moment. Ga Eul looked away first, and an awkward silence settled in.

"Don't embarrass them," Jun Hee said after a moment. "Come on, on with the game. Woo Bin, you're next."

The game resumed, and they continued like that for a while. It seemed that the cards were stacked against everyone, though. Anything the girls—especially Ga Eul and Jan Di—weren't likely to have done, the guys had, and vice versa. Soon everyone had gotten a bit tipsy, and Ga Eul—though she'd hardly drank anything compared to the rest of them—had gotten herself quite drunk. Woo Bin found this hilarious, as she laughed at everything anyone said and clung first onto Jan Di, then later onto Yi Jeong, like a long lost puppy who had found its master.

Finally, Yi Jeong announced that he thought Ga Eul had had enough and that he was going to take her back to her room. Jan Di started to argue, but Ji Hoo and Jun Hee pulled her back, and Ga Eul followed Yi Jeong willingly, still grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Oppa!" She latched onto his arm as they headed out into the hallway, and Yi Jeong let her hold onto him when he realized she was walking so crookedly she would probably fall over otherwise. "Oppa, I know…where we're going," she announced, her words slurring together.

"We're going to your room," he answered, his voice without emotion.

"Aniyo!" she exclaimed, leaning into him. "We're going to your room." Ga Eul giggled. "Isn't that where all the pretty girls go…to your room?"

Yi Jeong halted suddenly, causing Ga Eul to stumble and nearly fall over except that he tightened his hold on her arm and pulled her back up. Then he started walking again, quickening his pace and practically jerking her around the corner.

"Oppa, why are we walking so fast? There's so many halls. I don't think I've ever seen so…so many halls…so many…mistletoe! Look, it's mistletoe!" Ga Eul pointed excitedly to a sprig hanging from the entrance to the kitchen as they passed it.

Soon enough, they arrived at Ga Eul's room. Yi Jeong extricated his arm from hers and pushed her towards the door, but she spun around and tugged on his shirt, pulling her to him and stepping backwards until she backed herself into the door.

"Aren't you going to kiss me?" she pleaded. "There's mistletoe. You're supposed to kiss your girlfriend when there's mistletoe. Don't you like kissing me? I like kissing you."

Yi Jeong gave her a small smile.

"That's nice, Ga Eul-yang."

"I know what you think. You think I don't know anything about the world." She reached up and fumbled with the knot of his tie, slowly undoing it. "Oppa, I know a lot."

She looked so cute as she frowned in concentration that Yi Jeong almost gave in and kissed her like she wanted.

Almost.

But he didn't because there was no telling where that would lead.

"Yes. I know you do, but we can talk about that tomorrow." Yi Jeong grabbed her wrists and gently pushed them back down.

"Or we could talk about it tonight." Reaching back up, she pulled his tie free, slid it from around his neck, and slipped it around her own neck. Grasping her ponytail holder, she pulled her long, silky hair loose.

"Oppa," she continued, "I have pretty underwear too. I have all the pretty…the prettiest ones." She counted on her fingers. "I have red and pink and green and purple and…" She leaned in conspiratorially. "…black." She giggled a bit more, then grinned and leaned her head into the door.

"Ga Eul-yang, get your room key out."

"See? I knew you'd want to come in." She arched her neck in a seductive way that Yi Jeong figured she'd probably seen in a movie.

"Ga Eul-yang, you need to get some sleep. Now get your key out and open the door." Yi Jeong pinched his forehead and ran his fingers through his hair.

Slowly, the carefree grin on her face devolved into a frown.

"You're mad at me."

"Aniyo."

"You don't like me then. You really don't like me. You think I'm silly." She looked around the hallway rather forlornly, tears suddenly starting to spill down her cheeks.

"What I'd like is for you to go to your room and get some sleep."

"You don't like me. You don't like me," she mumbled, whimpering. "You think I did something with that other guy. You think I'm a bad person." Ga Eul started sobbing. "A-a-and now," she blubbered. "You're going to leave me."

Yi Jeong sighed in frustration.

"Ga Eul-yang, will you stop saying that? Now where's your room key?"

Ga Eul didn't answer but burst into more tears.

"Why…don't you like me?" she asked, surrendering her purse to him when he took it off her shoulder. "Why don't you like me, Oppa?"

Cursing softly, he hastily searched her purse and then her sweater pockets and then her purse again.

"Why, Oppa? Why are you leaving me?" Ga Eul collapsed onto the floor and started tugging on Yi Jeong's tie like it would tell her the answer. "Why? Why am I good not enough for you? Why do you always have to leave?" Her voice rose louder and louder until he feared the others would hear it on the other side of the lodge. Thankfully, at that moment, he found her room key buried inside her purse underneath a pack of Kleenex.

"Why don't you want me Oppa?" she cried out again. "Why won't you stay with me? Why are you always leaving me?"

"Ga Eul-yang, will you shut that damn mouth of yours and quit saying nonsense?! I'm right here, right here in front of you!"

Yi Jeong glared at her, and she shut up then, a stunned look on her face. Letting out a few barely audible whimpers, she allowed Yi Jeong to roughly pull her up to a standing position and wipe off a few more tears that trickled down her face before he slid her room key in the lock and opened the door. She stumbled backwards into the room and headed towards the bed, where she collapsed into a sitting position and stared up at him still standing in the doorway.

"Get some sleep," he whispered, gazing at the floor instead of her, and closed the door. He hadn't meant to yell at her, and he could blame it on the alcohol, but the truth was that she'd just sounded so much like his mother when she got upset over his father leaving the house. He'd never wanted to hear words like that come out of Ga Eul's mouth, and now he wanted to punch Woo Bin or whoever had suggested that stupid game. Or go back into the sitting room and get roaring drunk himself. Instead, he turned and walked to his own room, where he, too, collapsed onto the bed, too rattled by the night's events to either sleep or do anything else. He lay there, fully dressed, for a long time with the lights on, listening to the distant peal of laughter as it drifted to him from the hallway when the others made it back to their bedrooms. Then the rest of the world fell asleep, and he only heard her voice ringing in his ears, blending with a faint memory of his mother: "Why am I not good enough for you? Why do you always have to leave?"


	17. Chapter 17

The inside of the lodge's dining room had been decorated with generous sprigs of mistletoe, brightly lit garland tied with red bows, and miniature Christmas trees from which hung glimmering glass balls in numerous colors. As she finished her breakfast, Ga Eul tried to distract herself with admiring these festive displays when Yi Jeong's voice drew her back to the more pressing matter in front of her: him.

She had woken up on top of her bedcovers, fully clothed, with Yi Jeong's tie fisted in her hand. Her face felt funny, like she had been crying most of the night. Just like before, she couldn't remember all that had happened while she was drunk, but she remembered enough to know that Yi Jeong had been upset with her. In the back of her mind, she could see the cold fury in his eyes as he stared at her and feel the back of his hand as he wiped tears off of her face. Strangely, those two actions didn't seem to go together, but she couldn't remember what she had said or done that caused him to get angry in the first place.

An awkward silence had settled between them as soon as everyone else had left the breakfast table for their respective activities, seeming to sense that the two of them should be left alone to sort things out with one another. Yi Jeong had said "good morning" to her but otherwise had been sipping his coffee quietly. He seemed tired but somehow still managed to look like he could shoot an advertisement for their ski equipment on the spot. Ga Eul could feel his gaze on her as they sat across from each other, but she tried to focus only on her last few bites of the pancakes Ji Hoo had prepared for them that morning.

Unfortunately, the sweet berries and powdered sugar did nothing to lighten her mood. She barely had time to taste anything as she shoveled in mouthful after mouthful, just grateful for an excuse not to talk.

"Ga Eul-yang," Yi Jeong repeated.

"Huh?" She glanced over at him. "I'm sorry. What did you ask, Sunbae?"

He stared at her intently.

"I didn't ask you anything. I just said your name."

"Oh." Ga Eul nodded and fiddled with the napkin in her lap.

"Ga Eul-yang, are you—"

"You're right, Sunbae," she blurted out.

To her surprise, Yi Jeong smiled and cocked his head curiously.

"I'm right? That's a first. About what?"

"I…" Ga Eul clenched her napkin and lowered her head a bit. "I am rather foolish. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Sunbae." She stared down at her lap, then pretended to notice her watch. "Oh! Look at the time. You think maybe we better join everyone outside?" Ga Eul shoved her chair away from the table, stood up, and, turning away from him, began putting on her ski jacket. "Half the day's going to be gone soon, and I think Woo Bin Sunbae said—"

"Ga Eul-yang." Ga Eul looked down at her left wrist, which Yi Jeong had suddenly grabbed ahold of.

"Yes?"

Yi Jeong stood up and stepped over to her, causing her to look up at his face. Before she knew what was happening, he pulled her to him and kissed her so hard she practically had to latch onto his jacket to keep from losing her balance. When he finally let go of her and she opened her eyes again, she felt rather dizzy, but he simply smiled in a nonchalant way and pointed at something behind them.

"That was for the mistletoe over there." He pointed to another spot. "And over there and over there." Taking her by the shoulders, he leaned back in towards her. "Ready to go?" He spun her around and held her against him while he zipped up her jacket for her and then buttoned up the buttons over the zipper one by one. Planting a quick kiss on her cheek after he had finished, Yi Jeong grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the double doors leading outside.

Ga Eul wasn't sure what to make of this turn of events, but she didn't have much time to think about it because as soon as they exited the lodge Woo Bin rushed up to them, insisting they join his side for a massive snowball fight that had just ensued. Ga Eul would never ceased to be amazed how the F4 could lead such terrifyingly important lives and yet be so super-serious and competitive over something as trivial and childlike as a snowball fight or, in Jun Pyo's case, a race car game.

* * *

That night, after a full day of skiing and such snowball fights, Yi Jeong asked if he could meet Ga Eul in her room, which had a balcony view of the mountains.

Yi Jeong arrived about a quarter after nine with a bottle of red wine and two wine glasses along with a platter of chocolate cheesecake.

"Before you protest and tell me you're not drinking ever again, let me explain something to you." Yi Jeong set down the glasses right side up on the little iron-wrought table out on the balcony and filled both glasses halfway full, talking as he poured. "You can't swear off alcohol altogether after a few bad nights of soju. Not until you've tried this."

Sitting down at the table, he motioned for her to do the same and held one of the glasses out for her to take.

She sat down across from him but didn't take the glass, confused as to what he was getting at. Was this a test to see if she would use the naïve and foolish side of her brain again?

"Ga Eul-yang," he continued, "you're not going to get drunk off half a glass no matter how much of a lightweight you are. I can promise you that."

The look in his eyes was teasing but kind. Hesitantly, she reached out and took the glass from him. She held it up to her lips.

"Wait, wait, wait. Not so fast. You have to eat this first."

Yi Jeong held a piece of cheesecake out to her on a fork. She reached over to take the fork from him, but he swatted her away and gestured for her to open her mouth. When she obliged, he stuck a huge piece of milk chocolate cheesecake topped with dark chocolate ganache inside. She chewed slowly as the sweet chocolate melted in her mouth, unable to stop the huge grin that spread over her features.

"Sunbae, that was delicious," she said when she had swallowed.

A ghost of a smile crossed his face.

"Now take a sip of that." He gestured to the glass in her hand.

She took a sip of the dark liquid and found it to be surprisingly sweet and pleasant-tasting, and although she could still feel the acidity from the alcohol as it went down her throat, the sensation warmed her throat instead of burning it. It actually felt nice in the cold air. Taking another sip, she swished the liquid around in her mouth, trying to discern the flavors in it. When she had swallowed, she smiled at Yi Jeong again.

"That actually tastes...pretty good."

"You've never drank wine before, have you?"

Ga Eul shook her head.

"Not really. My parents have never kept alcohol at the house. I think maybe my dad drinks with his coworkers sometimes, but I've never seen my mom drink anything. This one time at a wedding reception, though, there was a glass of white wine on the table near my plate, and I thought it was water, so I grabbed it when no one was looking. This was when I was, like, six or seven." Ga Eul laughed. "I remember spitting it out all over my food."

Amusement flickered in his eyes at her recollection of that incident, and, as he seemed to be in a good mood, she gathered the courage to ask what had been on her mind all day.

"You're not mad at me?"

"About last night?"

Ga Eul nodded.

"Or the other time," she added.

"Can I ask you something?"

Ga Eul nodded again.

"That night I took you…out…and you met my father, why were you waiting for me when I got back?"

Ga Eul lowered her eyes and stared at the rest of the cheesecake, unsure of what to say to that. Honestly, she wasn't sure what had led her back there. Maybe deep down she had just known he was trying to hurt himself more than he was trying to hurt her.

"You don't have to answer that. But why would I be mad at you? Don't forget who you're talking to." Yi Jeong swirled the wine in his glass around and stared out into the cold night. "I just want you to be more careful, that's all. Especially when I'm not there."

After a moment, Ga Eul smiled.

"Okay, Sunbae," she said quietly. "But Sunbae, I didn't say anything…I mean…I don't really remember much from last night, but I'm sorry if I said anything hurtful to you. I didn't mean it, honest."

Yi Jeong looked at her then like he was contemplating something, an expression that soon gave way to a lopsided smirk.

"I wouldn't call what you said 'hurtful' exactly."

"What do you mean?"

"I seem to distinctly remember you offering to show me your vast collection of lingerie."

"What?" Ga Eul's eyes widened in horror.

"Relax, I'm kidding," he said. "You think I can remember anything from last night? We were all pretty drunk."

"Oh." Ga Eul's shoulders relaxed. "Yeah, I guess so."

They ate the rest of the cheesecake shortly, but Ga Eul only managed to finish half of her half-glass of wine, so Yi Jeong took it from her and finished it off. By that time, she was getting sleepy, but she didn't want the night to end or Yi Jeong to go back to his room just yet. Fortunately, it appeared Yi Jeong didn't have it in his mind to leave anytime soon. After they took the glasses and plates back inside, Yi Jeong shrugged off his coat and sat down on the bed. He watched her as she took off her own coat and patted the place next to him.

When she crawled onto the bed and sat down beside him, stretching her legs out beside his, he wrapped his arm around her and took one of her hands in his, interlocking their fingers. He didn't do anything else, and eventually Ga Eul relaxed against him, placing her head on his shoulder and her free hand on his right leg. He stayed quiet for so long that at one point Ga Eul thought he might have fallen asleep, but when she tilted her head to look up him, he had his eyes open and trained on the wall opposite them, his gaze immovable yet distant.

"Sunbae?"

"Mmm?" He looked down at her and shifted his arm so that he held her a bit closer to him.

She wanted to ask what he had been thinking about. She wanted to, but she feared he would only close up on her and possibly leave the room, so instead she said, "I'm really glad you got to come on the trip."

He smiled.

"How could I not? And miss seeing my drunk girlfriend tell Woo Bin he needs to own up about still having a crush on Jun Hee Noona?"

Ga Eul blushed profusely and buried her head back against his shoulder.

"I thought you didn't remember anything," she mumbled.

"Ga Eul-yang." Yi Jeong poked at her exposed cheek with his finger. "Ga Eul-yang. Ga Eul-yang."

She reached up to swat his hand away but only ended up with her hand caught in his.

"Ga Eul-yang, what are you doing?"

"Quit messing with me."

"I told you, messing with you is my hobby. Don't you think it's a much less harmful hobby than all the ones I had before?"

"It won't be if I bite your finger."

Yi Jeong scoffed.

"You would bite the finger of a world-renowned potter?"

"If you don't stop poking me, I will."

"That's the commoner way for you. Always overreacting."

"I'm not overreacting." Ga Eul jumped a little and raised herself up to look him in the eyes, unconsciously moving her hand to the center of his chest, draping her right leg across him, and pressing herself into his side.

Yi Jeong appeared somewhat startled by the action, and his hand carelessly drifted down to her hip. Ga Eul quickly pulled back when she realized over half of her body was lying on top of him, and Yi Jeong took his arm from around her and sat up straighter.

After a moment, Yi Jeong spoke up.

"I think I better let you go to sleep." He stood up and, leaning over, pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'll see you in the morning, Ga Eul-yang."

"Ah…Okay. Okay, of course. Have a good night, Sunbae." She watched as he gathered up his coat and the bottle of wine. Then he smiled at her and wished her a good night as he headed out the door. When the door had shut behind him and she was alone, she planted her head in her hands and groaned.

"Pabo," she muttered to herself, slapping her hands against her temple. "Pabo. Pabo. What did you have to do that for?" As she sat back against the bed's headboard, her eyes landed on her suitcase sitting upright next to the bathroom entrance. Her own voice drifted back to her.

"…and pink and green and purple and…black!"

She shook her head. No, she wouldn't have done that. He was just messing with her like he always did. Neither of them remembered anything. That was right. There was nothing for them to remember, anyway.


	18. Chapter 18

_Early April, Sweden_

_10:00 AM_

Chung Ae had always known it, had always known he would abandon her someday like Hyun Sub did day after day, week after week, year after year.

But today she had to see him. Today he would have to listen to her. Today was the day she had given him birth, for god's sake, and if he wouldn't take her phone calls, she would simply surprise him with a visit.

The lady in the dark sunglasses adjusted her diamond bracelet and her wedding ring as she settled comfortably into the back of the luxury cab transporting her from the airport to her younger son's house.

She had been a fool to let him come here when she needed him so desperately. Now he was doing god-knows-what and not giving her a second thought.

People were always taking her love for granted. They were always taking, taking, taking and leaving her with scraps.

She had been forced into this godforsaken marriage too!

But she loved him. She couldn't help herself.

She had fallen in love with him when they had first been introduced by their parents. It had been at a private auction of his and some other artists' pieces, and she spent the rest of the night stealing glances at him like a shy schoolgirl, hoping she might catch his eye. He seemed intent on slipping away from her, though, especially after their engagement was announced, though he was always cordial with her at social events.

Then one night she spotted him in a club—a club, of all places—while she was enjoying a rare night out with some college schoolmates. He was sitting in one of the lounge areas, looking up at a girl in stockings and a gray coat who stood before him, saying something Chung Ae couldn't catch. She couldn't see the girl's face, just her long wavy hair that hung almost to her waist, but Hyun Sub's lips curled up in an amused smirk as the girl gestured with her arms.

One of Chung Ae's schoolmates pulled her away briefly, and when she turned back, the girl was gone, but Hyun Sub's expression had turned sour, and he looked at his drink as though it were poison. Before she could think through what she was doing, her feet carried her over to him, and she slid into the booth until she was right next to him but not quite touching him.

She was glad for the dress she was wearing that night—a strapless, figure-hugging red dress with a small slit up the back. At first, she made small talk, although he didn't seem to be listening, but at some point he turned toward her and laid a hand on her knee, and his eyes looked at her then like some type of rage was consuming him.

_No, no, not rage_ , she told herself. _Desire_.

He never looked at her that way. He barely looked at her at all. Her brain told her something wasn't right, but she didn't protest when he started kissing her face and neck and ran his hand up her side and lightly stroked her breast. After a few brief, passionate moments, he stopped abruptly and, mumbling 'thank you,' tapped her underneath her chin. Sliding out of the booth, he grabbed his coat and headed for the door, leaving Chung Ae to stare in confusion at his retreating back.

She would not give up easily, though. Following him out—chasing him, practically, and almost falling in her heels—she called out his name and demanded to know why he stopped.

He turned around and eyed her curiously.

"Why did I stop?" he repeated.

"If you're worried that I'm…" Chung Ae paused to catch her breath. "…scared of what other people might think of me…I'm not."

"And what, exactly, do you care about, Chung Ae-sshi?" Hyun Sub stepped a bit closer to her, and she thought she saw the slightest smirk on his face.

"I care about you," she answered confidently.

"You care about me?" He stepped even closer to her, and she felt her back hit a wall.

"Yes." She swallowed.

"Really?"

"Of course. We'll be getting married in a month."

Hyun Sub chuckled a bit and studied her face. He touched his thumb to her lips and traced them, and she could feel his warm breath on her mouth.

"Well, then," he whispered, "aren't I lucky to have such a devoted bride?"

The wedding had taken place a month after that, and it had been just as well, Chung Ae had thought, when she found out she was pregnant with Il Hyun.

Sometimes now when she was drugged up and lingering halfway between waking and sleeping, she replayed the memory of that first night, the first night he took her, took every last piece of her, and she hated him, and she never wanted him to stop.

* * *

Yi Jeong had been having a good birthday morning.

Not a great birthday morning, exactly, but a peaceful one, at least. He didn't have classes until that afternoon, and Ga Eul had promised to video chat with him later that evening. At the moment, he was busy applying an amber glaze to a pot while soft piano music played in the background. Up on his perch, Milo had turned his back on Yi Jeong, apparently finding the process of painting pottery thoroughly uninteresting.

Yi Jeong had just about determined to let the pot dry and take a shower when his doorbell rang.

He was not expecting company, and when he opened the door and saw who was standing outside, he wondered if he should have pretended not to be at home.

"Omma! What brings you all the way up here?!"

"What? I can't see my son on his birthday?" She thrust a gift-wrapped box out to him, and he took it, surprised at the maternal gesture.

His mother wasted no time at making her way inside, though from her lack of luggage she didn't seem intent on staying. This, at least, relieved Yi Jeong.

They went to his workshop where she marveled over his work for a few minutes, picking up several finished pieces and inspecting them.

"Omma, can I get you some tea?" Yi Jeong asked when she had sat down.

She smiled kindly at him.

"Please."

Once he had served the tea and they were seated across from one another at one of the tables, his mother began to talk about how much they missed his art at the museum. Then the subject moved to how his hand was coming along and how his classes were progressing that semester.

She looked well, he thought, much better than how she had looked when he left for Sweden. He knew she had been released from the hospital several months ago and since then had been under constant supervision. Whether she had snuck away from her supervision in Seoul or at the airport in Stockholm, he wasn't sure, but he didn't really care to find out at the moment. When his mother was of a clear mind, he liked spending time with her without her watchful companions.

"Which is exactly what I want to talk to you about," his mother said at the end of a long spiel about his father's latest exhibit. "Can't you come back to Korea?"

Yi Jeong had been so lost in thought, marveling at how healthy his mother looked compared to the stick figure he'd said goodbye to, that the question caught him off guard.

"I'm sorry, what?"

She laid her arm across the table and grasped his hand—his bad hand—and said, "We can get you the best medical care. There's no need to be all this way away from home."

"Omma," Yi Jeong said, pulling his hand away, "I'm not sure what you mean. I'm not just here to get therapy for my hand. I have a lot to learn—"

"That's what tutors are for," she insisted. "Name anyone—anyone in the world you want to study with—I can get them. They'll come for the right price. I still have my father's inheritance, remember?"

"Omma, I'm not going anywhere. Let it go." He had thought this might be a good day.

"But Yi Jeong-ah—"

"I said, 'Let it go.'" He glared at her. "Can't we talk about something else?" Yi Jeong picked up the platter of tea and walked over to the sink with it. He heard her get up and follow him.

When he had roughly deposited the dishes in the sink and had turned back around, she thrust some pictures into his hands. They were all of his father and, he guessed, his new 'girlfriend.'

"This is her. Get rid of her, Yi Jeong-ah. Please? For your Omma? You're good at doing things like that. I came to you because I knew you would help me."

"Things like that? Things like _what_ , exactly?" Yi Jeong spat the words out and threw the pictures on the ground. "Omma, I'm a potter, not a dispatch service." Those pictures reminded him of the ones of him and Ga Eul, and it made him sick.

Turning on his heel, he started walking to the front door to show her out.

She followed, calling after him, "Jeong-ah! Jeong-ah!"

He reached the door. His fingers gripped the doorknob.

"You don't care about your poor omma. No one cares. Everyone is leaving me!"

He jerked the door open and stepped out, intending to drive her back to the airport.

"It's because of that girl, isn't it?!" his mother cried out hysterically, and Yi Jeong froze. He stood halfway between the front door and his car, listening to his mother's heels clatter over the stone walkway and finally feeling her arm clamp around his, her manicured nails digging into him.

"Jeong-ah." She tugged on his arm. "Jeong-ah." Resting her head on his shoulder, she sniffled and leaned half of her weight against him.

Yi Jeong stood very still, faintly aware of her sobbing, sometimes wailing, into his shoulder and unsure if he had heard her correctly. Did she know about Ga Eul?

He doubted he would get much of an answer about what she knew or how much she knew right then. She was tiring out. Her fits normally ended like that. She'd cry and scream until she had emptied herself, and then she would just lay there, staring at nothing, sometimes trembling, sometimes clutching a pillow to herself, sometimes mumbling nonsense, and sometimes becoming perfectly still, so still he could hardly hear her breathe.

As her sobs lessened, he took her hand and, standing her up a bit more, led her to the car and sat her down in the passenger seat. She slumped over in the seat, her body limp as she silently poured out her remaining tears into her hands.

Yi Jeong went around to the driver's side and got in.

"Omma," he urged, glancing over at her after a moment. "Please stop crying. Haven't you cried enough over him by now?"

His mother gazed up at him through tearful eyes and mumbled sorrowfully, "You're just like him, you know that? Oh god, you look just like him."

* * *

_Same Day, Sweden_

_12:00 PM_

Smiling at the pretty flowers lining the walkway next to the front door, Ga Eul unlocked the door to Yi Jeong's house using the key Woo Bin had given her. She had been fretting over what to get Yi Jeong for his birthday for over a month prior. After all, what do you get a guy who quite literally has everything? Now, she was glad she had gone to Woo Bin for advice. They had become closer since Yi Jeong had gone to Sweden, in a brother-sister sort of way, and he had suggested she surprise Yi Jeong with a visit, providing her with a planet ticket and saying that would be part of his gift to Yi Jeong as well.

Her flight to Sweden had been delayed for about two hours, but she had finally arrived at Yi Jeong's house with plenty of time to decorate the place before he came back from his classes. Pulling her small suitcase behind her, she walked inside and shut the door. As she walked towards the room she'd stayed in on her previous visit, she became aware of a faint whirring sound echoing down the hallway. The noise grew louder and more distinct the closer she got to the bedroom door, which was slightly ajar, and when she opened it, she saw one of Yi Jeong's staff vacuuming the floor.

His staff. She'd forgotten about them. Yi Jeong wasn't supposed to know she was there, but what if they demanded to know who she was and called to inform him of her arrival?

Wait. The woman wasn't Korean, but Swedish. A rather rotund yet robust-looking woman, she was probably in her late forties or early fifties and had short, curly, bright auburn hair. Instead of a uniform, the woman wore loose tan pants and a collared blouse.

The woman jumped a little when she noticed Ga Eul standing there and exclaimed something in accented English. She switched off the vacuum..

"Ah…Yes, hello," Ga Eul said in English. She smiled broadly, hoping the woman wouldn't ask any questions and would just let her have the room. When the woman just stared at her, her eyes studying Ga Eul like she was trying to remember something, Ga Eul continued haltingly, "I am…okay…thank you." She quickly bowed out of habit, although upon straightening up she realized she didn't need to bow to the staff. Besides, the woman wasn't even Korean, but she suddenly smiled back at Ga Eul with a look of sheer delight. Coming over to Ga Eul, she grasped one of Ga Eul's hands in her large ones and shook it firmly.

She said a few more words Ga Eul couldn't understand and a few that she could understand, enough to know that the woman was greeting her. Then she reached behind Ga Eul, took her suitcase from her, and rolled it around to the front of the dresser. After setting the suitcase down, she grabbed her vacuum from the other side of the room and hastily retreated into the hallway, nodding her head to Ga Eul as she went and saying something else that sounded like gibberish to Ga Eul's ears.

Suddenly alone, Ga Eul wondered at the absence of Yi Jeong's Korean staff before spotting a familiar cat as he crept tentatively out from underneath the bed and approached her.

"Milo! What are you doing in here?" Picking the cat up, she stroked his fur, and her hand brushed up against a few too many sticky clumps. "Hey, what did you get on you?" She held him out in front of her, and he squirmed a bit. "What have you been getting up too, huh?"

The cat just looked sullenly down at the floor and flicked his tail.

"All right." Ga Eul sighed. "Don't tell me. But I guess I'll have to clean you up before I do anything else."

* * *

Yi Jeong's driving speed had finally risen to such a level that his mother snapped out of her dark musings and began to protest.

"Yi Jeong-ah," she said, a slight tremble in her voice, "Slow down a bit, dear."

"Omma," Yi Jeong said, his voice calm. "I always drive fast, or did you miss that character trait when you were comparing me to Appa?"

"Jeong-ah, slow down, please."

"Isn't it great?" Yi Jeong asked. "One minute you're coasting peacefully along, and the next you're hurtling down the road at one hundred miles an hour."

"Jeong-ah, I am your mother, and I demand that you slow down this car right now!"

"Yeah, it's great, isn't it?" Yi Jeong continued as the motor purred noisily underneath them. "How people just jerk you around when you're least expecting it?" He jerked the wheel in a sudden but controlled motion, and they swerved over into the other lane and then back into their own lane.

"Jeong-ah, you're driving like a crazy person! Stop the car! You're going to kill us!"

Yi Jeong looked over at her and replied, "A crazy person, is that it?" He sped up as they approached a bend in the road.

"Jeong-ah, we can't take this curve that fast!"

As they rounded the curve, the car careened nearly off the road, and its tires squealed on the pavement as Yi Jeong twisted the wheel and set the car back on its course into the middle of nowhere. He had never traveled this road before, but it looked like it headed further and further into the countryside along the sea. He'd thought about driving his mother straight to the airport, but there would be a scene, no doubt, and he really needed someone to escort her safely back, or there was no telling what she would do if left to her own devices.

Plus his mother seemed terrified of what he would do next, and it gave him a small degree of pleasure to watch her squirm.

But it was a perverted sort of pleasure, much like everything else in their relationship, and Yi Jeong knew it. Finally, he slowed down and veered off the road toward a cliff overlooking the ocean. He stopped the car just short of the cliff edge, immediately getting out and walking right to the edge. He kicked angrily at the dirt, and a small piece of clay broke off and fell into the roiling waters beneath.

"You could have killed us!" his mother exclaimed from behind him. "We could have gone over that cliff and died!"

"Like you haven't tried that before!" Yi Jeong shot back as he turned around.

He regretted it instantly.

His mother's face turned a shade whiter, and she trembled though it wasn't cold, and the look she gave him…the look she gave him…it reminded Yi Jeong of how Ga Eul looked when he had yelled at her over Christmas that one night. Yi Jeong had always been unpredictable when he got angry, and his mind very quickly went to the darkest places it could, but for some reason that image of Ga Eul triggered something in him, sobered him up almost, and he turned away from his mother and gazed out at the tumultuous ocean, which was brooding and desolate in all its magnificence.

* * *

Ga Eul had finished Milo's bath with some trouble. Apparently, the rumors were true, and cats really did hate water. There was no sight of the cleaning woman when Ga Eul went back out into the hallway and into the other common areas, so Ga Eul assumed she must have left for the day. When she had set Milo outside to finish drying in the sunshine, she turned her attention to decorating Yi Jeong's workshop.

Looking around the workshop, she wondered why she saw none of the pottery she had sent.

Ah, right. They weren't that good. Maybe they were too embarrassing to display.

For his birthday, she had gotten him a nice tie—well, the nicest one she could afford—to replace the one she'd thrown in the trash. She had also made some additional picture frames to hang on the wall and had filled them with pictures of him and the rest of the F4 as well as of her and Jan Di. She had gotten Milo his own personalized food bowl, which she placed outside underneath the awning by the back door as a peace offering. After a while, she opened the door and peered outside to see if Milo had eaten anything, and he strutted inside the workshop like he owned the place and curled up on one of the high counters where he watched Ga Eul struggle to hang all of the colorful streamers she'd brought, his tail flicking back and forth.

She still couldn't quite believe how nonchalant Yi Jeong had acted about the whole incident over Christmas. She had tried to bring it up again—once—before the trip ended because she had felt so awkward, but Yi Jeong had waved her off with some smart remark that steered the conversation in an entirely different direction.

In any event, she had decided to put the whole thing behind her, although she did wonder what had become of Gong Yoo—if he had really embarked for Taiwan like he had said he would. A curious thing had happened when she went over to his parent's house after finding their address in one of her mother's old address books. The apartment complex had been torn down to make way for a new high-rise office building—recently but not recently enough for Gong Yoo to have been there. Then again, his parents had probably moved while he had been away. That had to be it, Ga Eul had decided, but she had not been able to shake the distinct feeling, as she walked from the site of the old complex to the bus stop, that she was being watched.

"Ouch!" Ga Eul sucked on her fingertip, which she had just banged on one of the workshop's overhead beams. Reaching up, she stuck the last of the streamer onto the beam with a piece of clear tape. Then she stepped down from the stepladder she had found and surveyed her work.

Decorations, check.

Cake, check.

Presents, check.

Now all she had to do was wait for him to arrive.

Ga Eul poured herself another glass of water from the pitcher she had brought from the kitchen and sat down.

She looked around the room again and then paused and looked down at her skirt.

Ah, of course! She needed to take a shower and change clothes…and redo her makeup…and do something with her hair…

Ga Eul looked at her watch and realized the day had gone by quicker than she had anticipated. How was she going to have enough time?

* * *

_Meanwhile in South Korea_

Madeleine stubbed the last of her cigarette out on the ground with her heel, causing a thin layer of dust to settle on the top of her shoe. If her shoes got ruined, it would be her fault. She should be waiting in the car instead of standing around the dirty construction site while her father finished his survey of his new hotel building site with the construction foreman. Of course she had worn a dress today—her new favorite, a silky, dark purple affair that tapered down at the bottom until it stopped halfway between her thighs and knees, revealing her long, slim legs. A few workers who were straggling out of the construction site at the end of work day leered at her when she approached the building but none for too long as she shot them a look that said 'go to hell.' Ordinarily, she would just ignore it, as she considered herself above it all anyway, but today she felt so on edge—like she might pound someone's head in if one more thing set her off. Her fingers trembled as she lit another cigarette.

She'd lit her first cigarette out of curiosity when she was fifteen, and she'd never quite grown to like them, but she still smoked them when she was having a bad day since they calmed her nerves.

Besides, her mother hated seeing her smoke, and that was more than reason enough for her to continue.

Her father, on the other hand, she'd always kept that particular habit a secret from. So why was she hidden behind some beams at the back of his now-empty construction site, chain-smoking like she wanted to start a fire?

Maybe she did want to start a fire.

Maybe someday she would start one—the kind of fire that won't be put out with water.

Madeleine pulled her shades off and pinched the bridge of her nose where her sunglasses had been sitting there for too long. The sun was going down, anyway.

Then she noticed him, a cocky face in an expensive leather jacket walking coolly towards her as if he had been expecting her to be there.

"What are you staring at?" she asked when he stopped a few feet away from her.

"You go to Shinwa, don't you?" The words came out of his mouth in a lazy, nonchalant way, like he already knew the answer.

"If you knew who I was, you wouldn't be asking such a ridiculous question." Madeleine gestured with her cigarette as she spoke and shifted her weight to her other leg.

The guy smiled at her.

"And if you knew who I was, you wouldn't be smoking so close to the construction materials."

_Please. As if the workers don't do that all the time_ , Madeleine thought.

She dropped her barely smoked cigarette in front of him and pulled out her carton to retrieve a new one.

"Yah!" she protested as the guy snatched them out of her hand, but not before she could pull one from the box.

"I warned you," he said. "You won't like the consequences."

"Oh, and what are you trying to save me from—an untimely death?" Madeleine mocked in a sweet voice as she lit her new cigarette. "At the rate I'm smoking these things, I'll die soon anyway."

"Please don't. It would be a shame for the world to lose such a beauty."

"Oh, I'm sure you're tremendously concerned about the rest of the world."

"Maybe I am," the guy continued, stepping a bit closer to her, "or maybe I just like what I see."

"Then you better un-see it," she snapped, expecting him to back off, but he instead smiled.

"But I know you. You go to Shinwa, don't you? You never talk to anyone. You never hang out with the other girls." The guy finished in English, "A woman of mystery."

Madeleine stared at his amused face for a long moment before finally giving him a tight-lipped smile and answering, "You don't know me, and I've certainly never seen you before."

She tried to step around him, but the guy moved to stand in front of her, so close that Madeleine almost stepped backward but determinedly dug her heels into the ground instead.

"Don't lie when you're sure to get caught. Everyone knows who I am, and you should know that _nobody_ lies to me."

Madeleine scoffed and glanced off to the side, taking another draw from her cigarette. She had felt a tinge of heat creep up into her face when his voice dropped lower with that last statement. His tone had been light but with an underlying darkness to it. She'd heard rumors about him. Song Woo Bin. The Mafia Prince.

"Madeleine Yi, isn't it? That's how the French would say it, am I right?"

Madeleine smiled.

Taking a final draw off of her cigarette, she blew the smoke directly in his face and nodded toward two approaching figures way back in the distance.

"Woo Bin Song, don't you have some place to be? I think your foreman's waving at you." With that, she slid by him and tossed her cigarette down, digging it into the dirt with her heel. Thankfully, her father hadn't seemed to notice her, as he had his head inclined towards the foreman. She dug some perfume out of her clutch and hurriedly spritzed it on.

Her father would probably still notice the lingering smoke smell.

Who the hell cared anymore?

* * *

_Sweden, Much Later That Same Day_

It was 11:30 PM, and he hadn't come home. Ga Eul still had on her lavender dress from earlier, refusing to put her pajamas on in case he walked through the door as soon as she did that. She had occupied herself with reading for a large part of the late afternoon. At about 8:00 PM, she had made ramen after discovering a few packets in the kitchen.

She fleetingly thought that, perhaps, some of his friends from school had invited him out to eat for his birthday or…well…just out.

But he had to remember their video chat, which should have taken place at 7:30 PM!

Ga Eul closed her book for the hundredth time and sighed. She would call him, but she didn't have phone service in Sweden, and she didn't know his WiFi password either, strange as that seemed, so using the internet was out of the question.

Agh, she hadn't thought this through!

Ga Eul hit herself on the forehead with her book. She got up wearily and walked back to her room to use the bathroom and grab a blanket since it was getting quite cold in Yi Jeong's workshop as the night progressed.

She stared at herself in the bathroom mirror for a time, noting the dark circles that had started to form under her eyes. As she rubbed at one of her eyes, her mascara smeared just a bit, and she grabbed a tissue to remove it. She was holding said tissue up to her eye when she heard a door slam shut.

The front door.

Finally!

Dabbing a bit of lotion on the tissue, she quickly removed the rest of the smeared mascara and spritzed herself with the perfume sitting on the bathroom counter.

When she had left the bathroom and rushed over to her bedroom door, however, she stopped short. She could hear him walking past her bedroom, but it sounded more like stumbling. Cracking open the door, she poked her head out and saw Yi Jeong's figure retreating into the blackness towards his workshop. Occasionally, he careened to the side and pressed up against the wall like he might hold onto it.

Ga Eul knew she should go after him to see if he was okay, but for some reason her feet would not move, not until she couldn't see him anymore and her brain had caught up with the erratic beating of her heart.

Rushing back to the place where she had already spent so many hours that day, Ga Eul saw in the dim moonlight that Yi Jeong had passed out on the floor, and even when Ga Eul flipped on the lights to get a better look, he didn't move except to adjust his head like he was trying to get more comfortable.

As she approached him, he coughed a few times and winced as he turned his head to face her.

His eyes remained shut.

Oddly enough, he wasn't wearing a suit nor a tie, just black pants and a plain dark gray shirt.

Ga Eul knelt down beside him and touched her palm to his cheek. He smelled strongly of alcohol.

"Yi Jeong Sunbae," she said softly.

He nudged his face against her hand but said nothing.

"Sunbae, I think you better get to bed. You'll catch a cold sleeping on the floor."

She shook him gently, and he groaned and mumbled something under his breath.

"Sunbae." She shook him a bit harder. "Yah, do you always sleep in your workshop like this?"

Suddenly, Yi Jeong winced as if he was in pain, and Ga Eul took her hands off of him.

He adjusted himself so that the back of his head rested against the floor again. Gradually, his facial expression smoothed out, and soon he looked rather peaceful lying there.

She really hated to wake him up.

Besides, Ga Eul doubted that she could transport him from the workshop to his bedroom. Instead, she went back to her own bedroom and grabbed two pillows and some blankets. She lifted Yi Jeong's head and stuck one pillow underneath it and put a thick woolen blanket over him, tucking it over his shoulders and around his chin. Then she settled herself on the floor beside him. She lay there and stared at his face where the moon illuminated it until her eyes grew too heavy and closed in sleep.


	19. Chapter 19

Yi Jeong had woken up to a stiff neck plenty of times from sleeping on the bench or on the floor of his workshop. It was where he usually ended up after an all-night bender when even in an alcoholic haze his mind subconsciously recognized the studio as home—more so than his actual house.

Now, in his half-conscious state, he remembered the night's events. He remembered going off on his mother the day before and the tense silence that ensued once they got back on the road to the private airport he had picked Ga Eul up at once before. Surprisingly, his mother hadn't protested when he escorted her to the plane. In fact, she hadn't said much of anything, and he was afraid that this time he really had delivered the final blow to her fragile heart.

Like father, like son.

Afterward, he had headed to a club that some acquaintances from school always raved about, but from the minute he got there he wanted to leave. For once, he didn't want to be around crowds. It was an odd feeling, really, considering that that was exactly why Yi Jeong had always gone to clubs—to distract himself with the loud music and the air-headed chatter and stimulation of all-too-willing females.

Perhaps he had gotten too used to solitude in the past months since he came to Sweden.

Although, if he were honest with himself, it wasn't solitude he was wishing for as he drank away his troubles in the chilly night air by the downtown waterfront. As the night wore on, he found himself reaching for his phone a few times to search for Ga Eul's number, but he turned the phone off while he still had enough sobriety to be reasonable. He was unwilling to let her go, to let go of her, but even more unwilling to drag her into his hellish personal affairs.

Now, as he lay on the floor listening to the faint sound of birds chirping, he wondered if when he opened his eyes he would still see his mother's pained, ashen face that haunted his dreams staring back at him.

He opened his eyes and saw Ga Eul's face instead.

Yi Jeong sat up abruptly and winced as the sunlight directly hit his eyes.

Was he hallucinating? Still dreaming?

Something had fallen off of him when he sat up—a blanket instead of his coat.

No wonder his head had felt so comfortable. He had been sleeping on a pillow, for once.

He gazed at Ga Eul's peacefully sleeping form lying on the floor beside him, trying to make sense of the situation. He stared at her for a long moment, utterly confused, until his eyes caught on the colorful streamers hanging overhead from the high beams of his workshop.

Yesterday had been his birthday. Of course.

She had a light coating of makeup on, and her blanket lay far enough down her torso to where he could see the top of what was probably a dress. Reaching out, he tentatively stroked her hair and then her cheek with his fingers, making certain that she was real. As he pulled away some hair that had fallen over her face, she mumbled something incoherent and shifted her face against her pillow. He knew he probably should be panicking over what he might have said or done to her when he came in the night before, but in the morning light the only thought that came to him was how much of an idiot he must have been to reject her before.

God, she was beautiful.

"Ga Eul-yang," he whispered.

She mumbled something else and moved her head again but didn't open her eyes.

"Ga Eul-yang." Yi Jeong gently shook her. "Ga Eul-yang, wake up."

"Hmm?" Ga Eul rolled over so that she was lying flat on her back and opened her eyes. Unfortunately, when she did, her head slid off of the pillow and hit the floor. "Ow," she said and reached up to adjust her pillow, but Yi Jeong grabbed both of her arms and pulled her to a sitting position instead. The blanket fell down further, leaving most of her sheer shoulder-less lavender dress exposed.

"Ga Eul-yang, what—"

Ga Eul coughed a few times.

"Sunbae." She smiled at him. "You're awake."

"Ga Eul-yang, are you sick?"

"What? Oh, no, no, I'm fine." She shook her head.

"What are you doing here?"

"It was your birthday yesterday, remember?" Ga Eul answered sleepily and yawned. "I was going to surprise you. I made a cake, and…and…" She gestured to her decorations. Then her expression turned serious, and her eyes grew wide. "But Sunbae, are you okay?"

"Why were you sleeping on the floor?"

"Because you were sleeping on the floor." She looked at him like that was the most obvious explanation in the world.

"You could have gotten sick," Yi Jeong scolded, his voice coming out a bit harsher than he intended.

Ga Eul coughed again.

"In fact, I think you are sick. Come on." Yi Jeong stood up and held his hand out to her. "Get up. You're going to your room."

She didn't take his hand, just stared up at him.

"But Sunbae," she asked again, "are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Let's go."

Without waiting for her response, he grabbed her wrist and hauled her to her feet. He moved rather rapidly out of the room and into the hallway, pulling Ga Eul by her wrist as she trailed behind him.

When they reached the guest bedroom, Ga Eul moved to stand between him and the bedroom door. It reminded him of a not-too-distant night some months ago.

"Sunbae, what's going on?"

"What's going on? I'm going to take a shower, and you should get some rest."

"I mean last night. What happened last night?"

"Not now, Ga Eul-yang." Yi Jeong sighed.

"What do you mean, not now? I was waiting up for you all night. And when you didn't come home, I started to get so worried. I thought something had happened to you!"

"Nothing happened to me, Ga Eul-yang."

"And then you were just passed out on the floor, and I couldn't wake you up so I—"

"Look, I just need to get out of these clothes and take a shower." He reached behind her and opened the bedroom door. "Then we can do whatever you want." He grabbed her arm again to guide her inside, but she snatched it away.

"I _want_ to know what happened yesterday."

"I just told you, nothing happened."

"Yes, it did."

"Well, not everything that happens to me is any of your business," Yi Jeong snapped.

An incredulous expression, then an angry one, appeared on Ga Eul's face.

"Of course not, Sunbae," she deadpanned, pursing her lips. "I'm just a guest here. I should know my place."

Before he could respond, she went inside of the room and slammed the door. He heard the lock click.

For a few moments, Yi Jeong just stared at the door, clenching his fists, unsure if he was mad at her or mad at himself.

If she was mad at him then that was good.

He hoped she stayed mad at him. He wanted her to be mad at him. Then she could go back to Korea and find the soulmate he was selfishly keeping her away from.

Yi Jeong walked back into his room and undressed for his shower, throwing his clothes on the floor instead of folding them like he usually did. Stepping into the shower, he turned the water on to the highest heat level he could stand.

That girl always showed up at the wrong time. And now he was going to have to explain himself, which he never did for anyone. Even that whole incident with his father—they had never really talked about it. But he knew now he would have to tell her something, if only to reassure her that he wasn't out fooling around with other women.

Yi Jeong scrubbed at his scalp a bit harder than necessary.

How could he explain to her what had actually happened? He never mentioned his family to her in any of their conversations, and he preferred her knowing very little about that part of his life. His mother's episodes were something he didn't even discuss with the F4 that often. Woo Bin knew the most, but he also knew enough not to ask too many questions. Ga Eul, on the other hand, liked to pry things out of him, and, unfortunately, she was very good at it.

It annoyed the hell out of him.

Yi Jeong let the hot water rush over him, scalding his skin. He tried to remember if he had seen her, if he had said anything to her, when he got home. This had to be the most awkward morning after experience he'd ever had, and he hadn't even done anything with her. It didn't help that right when Ga Eul had opened her eyes—before she said anything—a thought came to him that he had never had about a girl before—not even about Eun Jae.

Now _that_ was unnerving.

Yi Jeong stood under the showerhead and let the hot water run over his face a final time. He felt a headache coming on now that the initial shock had worn off.

What had he done?

…

When Yi Jeong finally emerged from the bathroom, wearing only his towel around his waist, he found Ga Eul standing in front of the large ornate vanity in his bedroom, inspecting the items on top of the dresser—all pieces of pottery she had made and sent to him. He kept everything she made in his bedroom. The photo of the two of them sat on his nightstand, turned to face the bed in such a position that she was always the first thing he saw when he woke up in the morning.

That, however, had been his secret until just now.

He should apologize for snapping at her, he knew, but instead he said, "I thought I told you to stay put."

She glanced up at his reflection in the mirror, immediately lowering her eyes again as a faint blush crept into her cheeks.

"And you expected me to listen to you?" she asked, her tone light but with an underlying edge to it.

Staring at her reflection, Yi Jeong quietly said, "No, I guess not."

He turned around and rummaged through one of his drawers, finally pulling out a t-shirt, then a pair of underwear and a pair of pajama shorts. As he started pulling the shirt over his head, however, he thought better of it. Maybe he could postpone that talk indefinitely, and fortunately he knew quite a few things that would render Ga Eul speechless, even breathless. He could call it an apology of sorts or a belated thank-you for all the hard work she had done the day before.

Coming up behind Ga Eul, Yi Jeong placed his hands on the edge of the dresser, one on either side of her. She looked up at his reflection—he could tell she was taking in his naked upper half—and her body froze up.

Yi Jeong grinned mischievously, eased in a bit closer to her, and whispered in her ear, "You know, sometimes I'm really glad you don't listen to me."

"S-Sunbae, aren't you going to…get dressed?"

In response, Yi Jeong smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You look so pretty in that dress," he whispered into her ear.

A nervous smile appeared on Ga Eul's face.

"You look nervous," Yi Jeong murmured, reaching up with one hand to sweep her hair over to one side. "Don't be nervous." He brushed his lips over her ear, then kissed her ear, followed by her neck, throat, and cheek. They were light kisses at first, but they grew in intensity as he continued, clutching her tighter. He noticed when she started breathing more heavily but also noticed with some alarm that he couldn't stop kissing her more and more violently. Whatever sense of control he thought he had over her got lost to the wind as he breathed in the sweet scent of her hair, felt her soft skin under his lips, and relished in the warmth of her body pressed up his against his. Suddenly, he wanted to taste all of her over and over and over again. He couldn't stop.

In one swift motion, he turned her around and pressed his mouth hard onto hers. To his delight, she immediately responded to him—putting her arms around his neck and deepening the kiss while he tightened his hold on her waist. He was aware—vaguely—that he was kissing her harder than he ever had before, almost like he wanted to suck all the air out of her, but she didn't push him away. They finally broke away reluctantly, each gasping for air, and Ga Eul removed her arms from around his neck and encircled them around his waist. She rested the side of her face on his bare chest, and he abruptly realized, as he came back to his senses, that he still only wore his towel around his waist.

Gently, he ran his fingers through Ga Eul's silky hair and felt her twitch when his fingertips brushed against her bare shoulder.

"Ga Eul-yang?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you mind if go put my clothes on?" It was an absurd question to ask someone like Ga Eul, he thought, but Ga Eul didn't answer right away.

Slowly—very slowly, it seemed—she pulled her arms from around him, and when she looked up into his eyes, he thought he saw a bit of disappointment there.

_Quit imagining things_ , he scolded himself, as Ga Eul nodded and, tucking some hair behind her ear, moved away from him, her eyes cast downward again.

A few minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom a second time to find her standing on the other side of his bed, staring at a painting on the wall.

"Sorry that took a moment," he said, coming up behind her again and hugging her to him. "Now where were we?" he murmured into her ear. As he planted a strong kiss on her cheek, he felt Ga Eul grasp one of his hands in her own hand and interlace their fingers.

"Sunbae?" she whispered.

"Hmm?" Yi Jeong planted a kiss on her shoulder and another one on the back of her neck as he moved her hair out of the way.

She shivered and remained silent long enough that he could tell she was having a hard time forming what she wanted to say. Her breath hitched when he blew on her ear, and she closed her eyes and gripped his hand tighter. Then he knew he had her. He kissed her neck and throat in a rapid fashion at first, then lengthened his kisses to roam his tongue over each spot and suck on it. Finally, he bit into the side of her neck. Just one bite. Then he turned her body towards him so he could capture her lips again. He ran his tongue on the inside of her lower lip again but this time nibbled on it. When he went back to work on her neck, she cradled his head against her and ran her fingers through his hair. He pulled her tighter to him and continued kissing her until he thought he must have kissed every possible spot on her neck, throat, and the part of her chest left exposed by her dress. He pulled back eventually, and when he did, she automatically captured his lips in hers, sticking her tongue inside of his mouth and imitating his movements as her hands cradled his face and neck.

Moments later, they were on his bed—hands gripping hair, lips roaming over each other's face and neck hungrily. He had initially pulled her down with him so that he was on top of her, but she surprised him by flipping him over and sitting on his abdomen, straddling him. He realized, with some disappointment, that she was wearing short shorts underneath her dress instead of just her underwear.

His disappointment didn't last long, however, as he became lost in the feeling of her mouth devouring his neck. His hands moved up and down her back as she kissed him fervently—first his neck then his jaw and throat and finally back to his mouth. As her hands cradled his face and neck, she traced his lips with her tongue, eliciting a deep groan from his throat, and thrust her tongue inside his mouth. Her lips pressed hard against his lips, and they kissed like that for a while, their mouths moving rhythmically, occasionally pausing for air or to suck each other's lips and nose. Ga Eul rubbed her nose against his a final time before she pulled away.

She gently traced Yi Jeong's lips with the tip of her finger. When he closed his mouth around her finger and started sucking on it, however, she pulled it back, her expression suddenly shy again. Laying her head down on his chest, she gripped his shoulders and hugged him to her, and he returned the gesture with his arms wrapped around her back, feeling her body relax against him so that he bore her full weight.

Not that he minded her lying on top of him.

Yi Jeong kissed the top of her head and mumbled into her hair, "Where'd you learn to kiss like that?"

Ga Eul buried her face into his chest and said softly, "My boyfriend taught me."

Yi Jeong tightened his hold on her, rested his chin on her head, and replied, "I think your boyfriend is an excellent teacher. You should keep taking lessons from him. Only him."

"Yes, Sunbae."

Yi Jeong smiled, enjoying the sweet softness of her voice, the softness of her body relaxed against him, and the sweet taste of her skin still lingering in his mouth. He was no stranger to desire, but touching Ga Eul—tasting her—was completely intoxicating. He didn't know why it felt so different making out with her as opposed to with his other women-women far more experienced at that and so many other things.

Maybe that was it. Maybe it was because he knew he was the only person she had ever done those things with. Everything was new and exciting for her, and it made him want to do things that pleased her all the more.

Reaching down, Yi Jeong ran his fingertips over the backs of Ga Eul's legs all the way to the hem of her dress, which had gotten hiked up considerably. He repeated this motion a few times, stroking her a little higher up on her legs each time until he slid her dress up and reached the bottom of her shorts.

She squirmed a bit.

"Sunbae?" Ga Eul asked quietly, her voice wavering a bit.

"Hmm?" Yi Jeong dropped his hands onto her back and stilled them.

"Can you tell me now?"

"Tell you what?"

Ga Eul sat up on her forearms and looked him in the eyes.

"Whatever's bothering you."

"Ga Eul-yang, I said don't worry about it."

"I'm your girlfriend, Sunbae. I can't not worry about it.' That's not how relationships work."

"Okay, okay, but can we talk about this later?" Yi Jeong started stroking her back. "We were having fun just a minute ago, weren't we?" He reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I think we both had a lousy day yesterday. Maybe we can cheer each other up." With one arm still laid over her waist, he used his free hand to stroke her cheek and to trace her lips the way she had his a few minutes before. Then he stroked the side of her neck to the crook where her shoulder and neck met.

When Ga Eul remained unresponsive, he stopped and put his hand on her back again.

"Ga Eul-yang?" Her whole body felt tense to him. "Sweetheart, is something wrong? Do you want me to stop?"

An unreadable but nonetheless serious expression had come over her face.

"I want to get up," she finally said.

"Oh…okay, sure."

Yi Jeong moved his arms away and allowed her to get up and off the bed.

"You do know you were lying on top of me, right? Technically, I should be saying that to you," Yi Jeong said, sitting up and propping some pillows up behind him.

Not that he would say that, of course.

Ga Eul didn't answer. She had her back to her him as she stared at the same painting again. It wasn't an expensive piece, but it depicted a field of wildflowers on the edge of an ocean. He hadn't picked it out, but when he found it in another part of the house when he moved in, he had immediately had it moved to his bedroom.

"Ga Eul-yang…Ga Eul-yang, why aren't you looking at me?"

Silence.

"Ga Eul-yang, did I do something wrong? Am I making you uncomfortable?...Talk to me."

Ga Eul turned around then, but she looked angry, and he thought he saw tears lurking in her eyes.

"Why? You want to talk to me now?"

"I want to talk about whatever's bothering you. I don't mean to scare you. I only enjoy making you uncomfortable to a point. I hope you know that."

"Oh, so we can talk about what's bothering me, but you can't say anything about what's bothering you. Not now. Not at Christmas." Her voice rose a few degrees. "You don't get to pick when I'm allowed to be part of your life, Yi Jeong Sunbae. Relationships don't work like that."

"Ga Eul-yang, come on." Yi Jeong patted the space next to him. "Come on. Sit back down. We'll do whatever you want."

"Whatever I want?" Ga Eul repeated slowly. "You mean whatever you want. Quit changing the subject, Sunbae."

"I thought we were on the same subject. Why are you all the way over there?"

"You know what I want, Sunbae? I want you to tell me what's going on!"

Yi Jeong ran his hand through his hair and looked away.

God, he had never met a girl so…so…aggravating.

"I'm not one of your girls, Sunbae."

Yi Jeong froze.

"All right," he conceded after some moments and faced Ga Eul again. He patted the spot next to him. "Just…come sit back down, and I'll tell you…Actually, will you turn that light off?" He gestured to the light switch over by the door.

There were no windows in his bedroom—no sources of natural light—and Ga Eul looked at him questioningly but nodded. She went over and turned the light off, and in the ensuing darkness he just barely made out her form making its way around the bed again.

As he slid under the covers so that he was lying on his back again, he felt Ga Eul get under the covers herself and sidle up next to him. To his surprise, she laid her head back down on his chest and hugged him from the side.

"Okay, Sunbae," she said. "Whenever you're ready to talk, I'm here."

Yi Jeong stayed quiet for a moment, glad for her warmth against him and glad that in the engulfing darkness she couldn't see his face.

"Ga Eul-yang?"

"Hmm?"

Yi Jeong took a deep breath. If he didn't ask this now, he would lose his nerve.

"Can you do something for me? Can you sit up?" He gently pried off her arm that was lying over his stomach.

Ga Eul rolled over and said quietly, "Okay, Sunbae."

When she had gotten situated, he stretched himself out at an angle and laid his head down on her lap. He felt her body stiffen in surprise, but she quickly relaxed and grabbed one of his hands to hold it. Her free hand played with his hair.

He shut his eyes and wished he could stay like that forever.

When she stopped running her fingers through his hair and dropped her hand to her side, he realized she was waiting for him to say something.

He opened his eyes and tried to stay relaxed as the words gradually dislodged themselves from the back of his throat.

"My mother was here…yesterday."

"Oh? I didn't see—"

"She came in the morning. She didn't stay long. We…left…before you got here. I had to take her back to the airport."

"I remember you saying she was in the hospital once." Ga Eul pushed her fingers into the hair on the back of his neck and stroked his head again. "Is she okay?" she asked.

"We don't…exactly…have the best relationship."

"And?"

"And…my father…you remember meeting him once, don't you?"

"Actually, I met him twice."

"Twice?"

Ga Eul squeezed his hand.

"After that night you introduced me to him, I almost ran into him one afternoon when I was headed to your workshop to ask you something…I don't think he saw me, but he was with a lady about…well, a little bit older than me. Maybe around your age. Then I realized why you said…all of that to your father. I'm guessing that lady wasn't your mother."

"And once again, you guess correctly," Yi Jeong said bitterly.

"Sunbae?"

"Hmm?"

"Is that why you had those photos?"

"Photos?" Yi Jeong tensed slightly. "What photos?"

"Your father goes with a lot of women, doesn't he?...Oh, I don't know anything. It's just that I saw a stack of photos lying on the counter in your workshop. I wasn't snooping or anything. They were just there, and they were in my way when I was decorating."

Those photos. He'd nearly forgotten about them, and he bet his maid had put them up there when she was cleaning up.

He stayed silent for a moment, trying to figure out how much he wanted to say to her.

"My mother…she gets upset with my father sometimes," he tentatively began, taking Ga Eul's hand that had been holding on to his and playing with her fingers before interlocking their fingers together again. "I mean, it's understandable, I guess, but she's always dragged me into the middle of it. The first time it happened I was only nine. My mother sent me to his office at the museum after school. I just got in the car, and the driver told me my mother wanted me to wait there for her, and she would come pick me up and take me somewhere. I didn't think anything about it at first, not even when I burst into his office and found him on top of his desk with some woman. I mean, I remember just being sortof…frozen. The woman left really quickly, but my father started yelling at me and then my mother appeared out of nowhere and started cursing and screaming at him. I remember backing into a corner and watching them go at it until some security people came and dragged my mother away. She was sobbing at that point…still pretty hysterical…but she looked at me…she looked right at me as they were taking her out of the room. And then I understood. She wanted me to break them up. She wanted me to see to my father for what he really was, and I'd always looked up to him until that moment."

He'd never shared that memory with anyone. Ga Eul squeezed Yi Jeong's hand again, but he was glad Ga Eul didn't say she was sorry. He could take her anger a lot better than her pity.

After a moment, he continued, "She tried to kill herself a few weeks after that. That was another first time. She's been depressed my whole life, but since that day I lose track of how much she's been in and out of hospitals. When she gets out, sometimes she's better for a while, but then I'll get a phone call and she'll want me to go find him and break up whatever new affair he has going on. Sometimes I'd seduce his women myself, just to get back at him. And now most of the time I don't even pick up her calls. She could be dying, and I wouldn't even know it. Sometimes I wonder if she actually did die if I would care or if I would just feel relief. And yesterday, I got so angry, I drove like a mad person to that airport. I nearly drove us off a cliff."

He rolled over so that the back of his head rested on her lap.

Her hand had stopped moving through his hair.

The weight of his words hung between them, and he waited patiently for everything to sink in before he whispered finally, "See, I told you. I'm not a good guy."

Ga Eul said nothing, but her hand gently cupped his face, and she ran her thumb over his cheek as she said only three words in answer.

"You are today."

_You are today._

It was an oddly simple response to everything he had just confessed, but the very nature of it said that she understood, that she held nothing against him, and that it mattered more to her what he was in this moment with her than what he had been all the moments before he had been with her.

And that, perhaps, gave him the longing and the courage to do something else he had never done with a girl before.

Sitting up, he asked Ga Eul to turn on her side, and she obliged him. Pulling her to him, he shifted his body so that he was spooned against her and buried his face into her hair.

With one hand, he pulled the covers back up over them.

"Ga Eul-yang?" he whispered as he settled himself into the most comfortable position he could find.

"Hmm?"

"You're really sexy when you're mad, you know that?" he murmured into her neck, and she laughed softly. "You're also the most stubborn girl I've ever met." he continued.

"I have to be to keep up with you," Ga Eul replied, grabbing his hand again.

Yi Jeong smiled though he knew she couldn't see him. He'd never cuddled with a girl before, but he could already tell he immensely liked cuddling with Ga Eul.

By some unspoken agreement, they stayed like that for most of the day, only getting up to eat a late breakfast and an even later lunch. As the day wore on, they talked about their lives and caressed each other at leisure. Ga Eul showed him the scar she got from a bicycle accident when she nine, and he told her stories about all the mischief he and his brother used to get into at the museum. Ga Eul stayed in his bed that night, and he fell asleep holding her in his arms, his heart feeling a wondrous sense of peace at being laid bare but, at long last, unburdened.


	20. Chapter 20

"Aren't you going to let go of my wrists?"

"Why? I always hold on to your wrists. You should have complained sooner."

"Sunbae, I have to get up and take a shower."

"Okay, so do I. That should be interesting."

"Sunbae, I'm serious."

"So am I."

"You're also delusional."

"You're not allowed to leave today. I'm going to reschedule your flight."

"Sunbae, I have a test."

"You can make it up, can't you?"

"My parents are going to be worried."

"So tell them you're at Jan Di's."

"Sunbae, don't you have classes?"

"Mmm, what classes? Tell you what. If you can get out of this room…no, out of this bed…I'll let you go back home."

"That's not fair."

"Why? Am I that irresistible?"

"You…I-I-I can't breathe. Yi Jeong Sunbae, let go of me. I seriously can't—"

"If you can talk, you can breathe."

"Sunbae."

"Ga Eul-yang."

"Sunbae, I really do have to get up. And you do too. You have to drive me, remember?"

"I thought you were my birthday present. Most people get to keep their presents. Are you saying I have to return mine? Is this a commoner thing?"

"It will be a good humbling experience for you, Sunbae. I bet you've never had to give up anything in your life."

"You think that because you never had to share toys with Gu Jun Pyo."

"I'm not a toy, Sunbae."

"…I know you're not."

"I know you know I'm not."

"This is fun, though, isn't it?"

Yi Jeong turned over one of Ga Eul's hands and rubbed his thumb against her palm. He kissed her shoulder and adjusted himself so his hard abs pressed more firmly against Ga Eul's back. Extending her arm, he ran his fingertips over the side of it, an action that both pleasured and tortured Ga Eul at the same time. Never before had she encountered something she both loved and hated so much as his fingers teasing her skin—down her arms, up her legs. He'd trace lazy circles on her palms while his lips met the back of her neck just as gently. When she'd shiver involuntarily yet arch her body further into him, he would chuckle and kiss her hard on her cheek like he was doing at the present moment.

The arm that had been teasing her slid under her arm and collapsed lazily across her stomach, and she heard him settle his head behind her on their shared pillow, his forehead pressed lightly against her.

They stayed quiet for a while. Ga Eul didn't think she would ever get used to Yi Jeong doing that sort of thing. She had chased after him for so long she could hardly believe that she had caught up to him.

Or, rather, at the moment, he had caught her. They had been cuddling in various positions since they'd woken up about an hour earlier and had been hiding away in his room almost continuously since the previous morning when he'd finally opened up to her about his life. Although she had been deeply saddened by what she'd heard, she felt relieved that he trusted her enough—that he valued their relationship enough—to tell her that sort of thing. She could tell it wasn't easy for him to talk about, but she was glad for even just that little bit of insight into the mysterious man she had grown in affection towards day by day for the past three years.

Ga Eul had long resigned herself to the fact that any knowledge about Yi Jeong's private life would come to her in bits and pieces. The puzzle piece Eun Jae had handed to her only proved to be one part of the thousand piece box set that was Yi Jeong Sunbae. It was a thousand piece box set littered with mismatched pieces from other boxes that sometimes threw Ga Eul off, but deep down she believed she knew the truth. She could tell when he was faking something and when he was being real with her. At least, she hoped she could.

_This_ , this is real, she told herself, stroking the back of his hand with her thumb.

"Ga Eul-yang, what are you thinking?" he mumbled into her hair.

"Sunbae, do you think we were lovers in a past life? Like a prince and a gisaeng?"

"Always with the fairy tales. That's Ga Eul-yang for you."

"Aniyo. People say—"

"All those stories end in tragedy, Ga Eul-yang. Why you would want to think something like that?" She felt Yi Jeong move, and his lips brushed her ear. "Besides, if you were a gisaeng, you would be executed for that tongue of yours."

Ga Eul jabbed the side of his stomach with her elbow, and he let out a small yelp, probably more out of surprise than out of pain.

"Are these the sort of sweet insults you used to charm all those women, Sunbae?"

Yi Jeong clutched her tighter, his breath still hot on her ear. When he spoke again, his voice sounded even huskier.

"Ga Eul-yang, everything sounds seductive if you say it in the right tone of voice."

Ga Eul shivered again. Letting go of his hand, she twisted around in his arms so that she faced him.

"Everything, Sunbae? That means anything, right?"

"Sure." With the faint light from his bedside lamp lending a soft glow to his smiling face and messy hair, he looked completely at ease—practically boyish—almost how he was on their first trip together to New Caledonia.

Ga Eul leaned in toward him so that their faces were almost touching.

"Yi Jeong-ah," she whispered, running her fingers through his hair.

She waited until he closed his eyes to continue in what she hoped was a seductive tone of voice: "My flight leaves at 11:00 AM."

"Nice try, Ga Eul-yang," he mumbled and opened his eyes.

She snatched her hand away.

"One day I'm going to wipe that stupid smirk off your face, and you won't be able to say anything."

"And you think today is that day?" He looked amused.

"Yi Jeong-ah," she complained, a small pout forming on her face. "I'm hungry. Can't we at least have breakfast?"

Yi Jeong blinked, and a serious expression came over his face as he looked her over. She recognized it as that expression he used when he didn't want to give away what he was really thinking. Maybe she had found something that worked.

"Yi Jeong-ah," she continued in the same tone of voice. "Can we have pancakes? Please?" She tapped her fingertips on his bare chest and stared at him with pleading eyes.

He held her gaze for so long that she thought he wouldn't reply, so she lowered her head and repeated, "Yi Jeong-ah—"

"All right, all right." Yi Jeong released her and flung the covers off of both of them. "There's no need to cry about it. Hurry up and take a shower. I know a place."

* * *

So Yi Jeong was completely screwed.

He watched Ga Eul devour her enormous plate of blueberry pancakes at the café he had taken her to, one right near the airport.

If she thought making those puppy-dog eyes at him made him want to let go of her, she was sorely mistaken. It only made him want to hold her more, but she'd wanted pancakes, so he'd gotten them for her. He hoped she was happy because he was giving serious thought to strangling her right now in all her adorable childishness. She could soften him with a glance. She could burn him up with a smile, with a kiss on his cheek, with a blush at something he said, with a whisper, and it was far, far worse than anything he'd experienced with any other woman because she didn't even know she was doing it.

He missed her warmth against him already.

He had no idea how he was supposed to sleep by himself after she had gone home.

"Sunbae, aren't you going to eat anything?" She looked at him questioningly.

Yi Jeong fiddled with his coffee mug.

"I don't really eat much breakfast. Besides, are you sure you can finish all of that?" He traced the rim of his mug with his finger. "Need some help?"

Ga Eul nodded and pushed her plate toward him.

"Try it. It's really good."

Yi Jeong leaned over, grabbed the fork, and stabbed it through a few pieces of pancake. Instead of sticking it in his mouth, though, he extended his arm over to Ga Eul and told her to open her mouth.

Her face immediately reddened.

"Hurry up. People are staring," he teased, tracing a small pattern in the air in front of her lips.

Ga Eul took the bite, then quickly snatched the fork back from him.

"I thought you were going to help me eat it."

"I was…helping _you_ eat it."

"Yah…why do you always make me do that?"

"Because it's fun. Because you look so embarrassed, and I can't understand why. Isn't that a normal couple thing to do?"

"We're not a normal couple, Sunbae," Ga Eul muttered and took a huge gulp of milk. She attacked her pancakes again with a fervor that Yi Jeong had long ago recognized as a sign that she was either nervous or embarrassed.

As she ate, Yi Jeong's gaze shifted to the cloud-white airplanes launching into the bright blue horizon in the distance. They kept passing by the window, taunting him, assuring him that no, no, they were not a normal couple.

But he also knew that at the angle Ga Eul was sitting, when she looked up, she would see only him and smile.


	21. Chapter 21

**Two Years Later**

" _Is it really better than sex?"_

_Ga Eul dropped her mascara brush into the sink at the sound of Yi Jeong's voice._

" _Yi Jeong-ah, quit sneaking up on me like that." Ga Eul glanced at his reflection in the mirror where he hovered in the bathroom doorway._

" _Well, is it?"_

_"How should I know? And quit looking at me like that." She picked the brush up. "Jae Kyung Unnie gave me makeup from the U.S. for my birthday. It would be rude to let it go to waste."_

_"You can say that about a lot of things." He sighed. "Want me to apply your lipstick?"_

_Ga Eul narrowed her eyes at him._

_"Aniyo. You're going to smear it again."_

_"I smeared it once. And that was your fault. You're supposed to keep your mouth still." He walked over and stood next to her, adjusting the tie she had picked out for him-a light gray one with tiny purple diamonds._

_"I think you should learn to concentrate harder on what you're doing." She applied a light dusting of blush to her cheeks._

_"And I think you shouldn't use unnecessary makeup."_

_"Huh?"_

_"I think we should investigate the claims of this mascara," Yi Jeong continued in a serious, business-like tone. "You know, there's nothing like first-hand experience."_

_She turned her body to face him._

_"What's wrong with my—"_

_He winked at her, and realization slowly sunk into her features._

_"Sunbae!" she protested as he started backing her into the corner of his rather large bathroom. "We have to leave in an hour!"_

_"That's enough time."_

_"S-Sunbae."_

_"You know what's interesting?"_

_"Aniyo." Ga Eul felt her back hit the wall._

_"You're not saying 'no' because you don't want to but because you don't think we'll have enough time. Am I right?"_

_"Aniyo."_

_"How much time do you think we'll need? Just tell me what you'd like to do, and I'll give you an estimate."_

_Ga Eul stared at him, her mouth half-open._

_Yi Jeong laughed._

_"See? You don't need that." He gestured to the brush she still held in her hand._

_Ga Eul backhanded his chest._

_"That's the makeup, not me! Pabo."_

_"If you say so."_

_"I do say so. I say you're the biggest idiot I've ever met."_

_"Bigger than Jun Pyo?"_

_"Bigger than Jun Pyo."_

_"Ah, but Ga Eul-yang…" He held up a tube of lipstick she didn't even know he had. "At least I'm a prepared idiot. Now hold still."_

* * *

To say Ga Eul was nervous was an understatement. Tonight, she would be stepping out in public as Yi Jeong's girlfriend for the first time. They had avoided the press up to this point, but tonight she would be going to Yi Jeong's senior exhibition for his course of study at the university. Although it was not nearly as large as some of his past exhibitions, it was his first one since he had gotten injured, and she knew he was fairly nervous about it. She knew because he kept pacing and fiddling with his cuff links while she finished touching up her makeup in his bedroom as they waited for Woo Bin, Jan Di, and Ji Hoo to show up. He hadn't offered to apply her makeup tonight and hadn't even said anything when she started applying it in his bedroom instead of the bathroom. That was odd because if there was one thing she had learned about Yi Jeong in the past two years, it was that he liked everything to be clean and organized, especially his bedroom. His Swedish maid—her name was Maja—cleaned the house every day, cooked, and washed clothes, of course, but Yi Jeong usually cleaned up after himself, a habit she suspected he'd developed while trying to find some measure of control in his chaotic home life.

Ga Eul looked around at the various articles of hers spread around the room-a coat, a sweater, a shopping bag, two pairs of shoes, the glasses she wore at night instead of her contact lenses, her book bag, a stack of paperwork she was working on for school, the contents of her makeup bag spread across the top of his dresser.

It was strange, really, how comfortable they had become around each other, even with only seeing each other every few months like they had. They had given up sleeping separately since her visit for Yi Jeong's birthday two years before, and he insisted on her making herself at home there. Over time, she had learned to relax around him and had even become a bit more confident in herself. For all his teasing about her childish antics and infatuations, he made her feel like a woman. It had always just been the two of them, though, aside from the occasional get-together with Jan Di and the other F4 members. They never saw each other in Seoul but either in Sweden or some luxurious vacation destination the F4 had procured at a moment's notice. On those trips, she could never get over how Yi Jeong spent money like water, how each time she mentioned something she liked or might want, it would appear out of nowhere. She had finally learned to keep her mouth shut, but Yi Jeong sensed things anyway. He wasn't trying to get anything from her, she'd finally realized. He just genuinely liked spoiling her.

The days in Sweden were the best though. It was easy to pretend on those days that they were the only two people in their world, but Ga Eul always had a secret fear that Yi Jeong preferred it that way, that maybe when he came back to Korea their relationship would be as detached from the real world as it was during their time in Sweden.

He had asked her to be his date for this exhibition, though, knowing there would probably be some members of the Korean press present, and that made her feel more and less secure all at the same time.

"Yi Jeong-ah." Ga Eul glanced at his reflection in the mirror. "Calm down. You're making me nervous."

Yi Jeong scoffed and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Who's nervous? I like the dress we picked out for you."

The dress _he_ had picked out for her was a champagne-colored halter dress with a pearl-studded bodice and a flowing sheer satin skirt that stopped mid-thigh. To be honest, it was a bit too revealing by her normal standards of dress, but Yi Jeong had a way of looking at her in it that made her forget that.

" _We_?" She put her compact blush back in her makeup bag and walked over to stand directly in front of him. "I seem to remember you taking it off the rack, forcing me to trying it on, and telling the salesperson we'd take it."

"I think 'forcing' is too strong of a word."

"Oh?" She sat down on his lap."Who was it that kept saying, 'Try this one on, try that one, try that one'? I could barely look at anything myself! Next time I'm going to take you shopping and pick out all of your suits for you."

"You already pick out my ties, Ga Eul-yang. Don't push your luck."

"If I pick out your ties, the most logical thing is for me to pick what you wear with them, don't you think?"

"I think…" Yi Jeong pressed a kiss to her shoulder blade. "I think you should just admit that I have excellent taste." He traced his finger up her spine from the lowest exposed point on her back. "Admit it. You like it too." Dropping his hand to her lap, he crept his other hand up her thigh just under the edge of her skirt.

"Yah!" She slapped his hand away. "Cut it out." She shifted in his lap so she could face him, their noses almost touching. "Bad Sunbae."

"But you like bad boys."

"Aniyo."

She smirked and took his formerly injured hand, the one that had just traveled up a bit too far for comfort, and kissed it as she often did.

"I just like you," she said.

Closing the gap between them, she kissed the corner of his mouth.

"You missed," He said and kissed the corner of her mouth.

"Mmm. You're getting as bad as me. I don't think the women of Korea will take you back."

"As long as one woman there takes me, I think I'll be fine." He winked at her and kissed her again, this time full on the mouth, his lips warm and tender against hers.

"You know what's crazy?" Yi Jeong said when they broke apart.

"What?" Ga Eul whispered.

'I've been working on these pieces for months, and now all I want to do it stay on this bed with you for the rest of the night."

"Well…you've already messed up my lipstick, so I guess we can't go." Ga Eul wrapped her arms around his neck and grinned.

"I like the way you think."

"That's a first."

"No, it isn't."

She leaned in for another kiss.

Suddenly, the door to Yi Jeong's room swung wide open, accompanied by a "Yo, Bro" from Woo Bin that died on his lips as Ga Eul jumped up and stared up at him in fright.

Thankfully, he seemed just as embarrassed to be there as she was to see him, although embarrassment was honestly the last emotion she'd ever thought she'd see from Woo Bin.

She stood up and gave him a quick bow.

"Woo Bin Sunbae," she croaked out.

"Oh, excuse me! I thought…well, I saw the light in the guest room and I thought…well, never mind, we'll just be waiting outside."

When Woo Bin had disappeared into the hallway, shutting the door firmly behind him, Ga Eul smacked Yi Jeong's arm.

"What was that for?!"

"Yah! Why don't you learn to keep your hands to yourself?"

" _My_ hands? Wait, wait, who was it that sat down on my lap? I didn't ask you to do that."

"Didn't you know Woo Bin was coming?!"

"He said he'd call when they were outside."

Ga Eul huffed and walked back over to the mirror.

"Hey, want me to reapply your lipstick for you?"

"Aniyo." She shooed his arms away. "I don't want you to touch me for the rest of the evening."

She tried to ignore him as he moved to stand behind her, to focus on filling in the curves of her lips as he blocked her in against the vanity, to try not to smear the lipstick as he whispered in her ear, "Then you should have picked out a different dress."


	22. Chapter 22

The show opened at 4 p.m. For some reason, when Ga Eul had envisioned the evening, she had imagined high society members decked out in elegant ball gowns and tuxedos, a full orchestra, and one of those glistening champagne pyramids that always got knocked down in the movies. She had imagined swarms of photographers and security details keeping frenzied fan girls at bay. She had imagined feeling small and overwhelmed by the opulence of it all.

Then again, that would describe the last high society event she had attended—a charity ball at Ji Hoo's foundation. Yi Jeong's show, being a university event and not one featuring him exclusively, naturally attracted a more diverse crowd. The décor of the building was polished and professional but nothing extravagant. There were plenty of people, but most of them seemed more interested in the artwork than in the particular identities of the stylishly dressed group of Koreans. Not that Ga Eul minded this. She had never been one to desire the spotlight, preferring to remain on the periphery of the crowd—seen, perhaps, but not particularly noticed except by people who mattered.

She had mentally prepared herself for meeting Yi Jeong's father, who was supposed to be there in lieu of his grandfather, but he never showed up. However, the curators for two of Stockholm's fine art museums stopped by, as well as Yi Jeong's private mentor, who—she was told—was greatly respected in the international art world. As for meeting his professors and some of the other students, Ga Eul wasn't expected to say much simply by virtue of not being able to. She did wish she could understand what everyone was saying, though. At least people seemed to like Yi Jeong's work, judging by their expressions.

As for reporters, Ga Eul shouldn't have worried so much. There was only one Korean news agency represented, and Yi Jeong did a brief, exclusive interview with them while their three friends whisked Ga Eul away to another part of the exhibit. Although she enjoyed standing next to Yi Jeong and being proudly introduced as his girlfriend, she felt glad when the four of them ended up at the refreshments table. Her stomach had been growling for some time despite their late lunch.

It was the F3 again this time. Jun Pyo was stuck at the airport in New York due to 'inclement weather conditions,' something Ga Eul imagined was also happening _inside_ of the airport due to Jun Pyo's temper.

"Aigoo, these heels were a terrible idea!" Jan Di complained, not-so-discreetly kicking off her high heels as they stood along the wall behind a spread of assorted fruit and pastries.

"You liked them in the store," Ji Hoo reminded Jan Di.

"That's because I only stood on them for twenty seconds."

"That's a very specific time, Otter."

"Swimmers know how to time things."

Ji Hoo smiled warmly at Jan Di. "Seriously, if you want me to go get your other shoes from the car, I will."

"Aniyo." Jan Di waved him away. "I think I can stand it a bit longer for Yi Jeong Sunbae." She begrudgingly slipped the heels back on as a few people passed by and glanced curiously in their direction. "But where are all the chairs?!"

"There's some benches outside," Ga Eul offered.

"It's okay. I can stand it." As she said this, Jan Di leaned against Ji Hoo's shoulder and nearly fell over trying to adjust the strap on one of the shoes.

"Give me those," Ji Hoo said, holding out his hand.

"Ani. I'm fine."

"You're going to break your ankle that way."

"Ani."

Ji Hoo snatched one of the offending shoes out of Jan Di's hands.

"I'll be back. Don't go anywhere."

"Ji Hoo Sunbae…Yah, wait for me! I can get them myself!" Jan Di hopped along on one heel as she struggled to catch up with him.

Ga Eul shook her head and watched the bickering couple until they disappeared from sight, then quietly slipped her own shoes off, feeling sweet relief rush through her aching soles as they touched the cold tile. She sighed and turned toward the fourth person in their little group.

"Woo Bin Sunbae, no date for this evening?"

Woo Bin was staring—had been staring for quite some time—off into the distance, sipping on a glass of wine, and completely ignoring the conversation. It was odd to see him so quiet. He was usually the most talkative one in the bunch.

"Woo Bin Sunbae?" Ga Eul waved a hand in front of his face. "Sunbae?"

"Oh…Sorry. What's up?"

"I was wondering where your date for the evening is," Ga Eul said.

"What? I'm not cool enough to hang with you guys?"

"Not at all," Ga Eul replied, eliciting a small smile from the mafia prince.

"But what are you going to do later?" she continued. "Yi Jeong Sunbae told me we are…actually, he didn't tell me what we are doing, but it seems to be something for just the two of us. I wouldn't want you to be left third-wheeling with those two." She jerked her head in the direction Ji Hoo and Jan Di had gone.

Woo Bin smiled. "Don't worry about me. The Don Juan of F4 is never short of options." He spoke louder as Yi Jeong approached them. "Especially since my competition has been eliminated."

"What?" Ga Eul asked.

"Your competition leveled up," Yi Jeong said. "I always was one step ahead of you."

"Ah, but Miss Ga Eul was one step ahead of _you_."

Ga Eul beamed.

"Thank you, Woo Bin Sunbae."

Woo Bin leaned in toward Ga Eul and beckoned her to do the same.

"If you ask me, you would come out pretty good playing the field."

"Really?"

Yi Jeong grabbed Ga Eul's wrist.

"Hey, don't give my girlfriend any ideas!"

Ga Eul pulled her wrist away and rolled her eyes.

"I've already got plenty of ideas from you. If anything happens, it's all your fault."

* * *

"You're not the only who's allowed to have ideas, Sunbae," Ga Eul complained as she clopped along on her heels while Yi Jeong led her by the hands. He had wrapped his tie around her eyes as soon as they'd gotten into the car after the show and was now taking her to some surprise he had planned for her.

"Do you even know what you're talking about, Ga Eul-yang?"

"Apparently, I do. I caught _you_ , didn't I?"

"Yeah, yeah, there's steps in front of you. Be careful. One. Two. Three." Yi Jeong counted out the steps as he tugged on her hands.

"Are we at the house?"

"Be patient. You'll find out soon enough."

"We are at the house! It smells like cinnamon. It smells like those cinnamon pastries Maja made."

"You're imagining things."

"And now we're going to turn to the right and go down a long hallway. There's that board that sticks up."

"You're imagining things," Yi Jeong repeated, irritation creeping into his voice.

Ga Eul giggled. "I'm sorry, Yi Jeong-ah. Am I ruining your surprise?"

He turned her to the left, not in the direction of his workshop but in the direction of the kitchen. She tripped over another raised board and stumbled into him, causing him to back into something, probably one of the kitchen chairs.

"Why don't you quit being smart and concentrate on not falling? And don't roll your eyes at me. I know that's what you're doing."

Ga Eul stuck her tongue out at him.

"That's real mature, Ga Eul-yang."

"I'm two years younger than you. I'm allowed to be immature."

"Country bumpkin."

"Old man."

"You have a thing for older men, don't you? Wasn't that idiot you dated before older than you?"

"Mmm, yes. But I decided I only like older men with money."

"Ah, my country bumpkin has gotten wise."

He led her through what she knew to be the French doors leading into the walled garden, and they stopped. He let go of her hands. The scent of burning candles drenched the cool night air. The tie lifted off of her eyes, and light immediately flooded her sight from every direction.

She gasped.

Greenery inlaid with white roses and entwined with white lights traveled up and down the garden walls, and more white lights had been strung across the open top of the enclosure. Stepping closer, she saw that pictures of the two of them had been strung lengthwise along all three walls, resulting in a panorama of their relationship for the past two years.

Ga Eul hadn't realized they'd taken that many pictures, although she was sure she had instigated most of them.

Two of the iron-wrought patio chairs had been pulled up to a little table in the center of the garden over which a white tablecloth had been draped. A bouquet of white roses sat in the center of the table.

"Yi Jeong-ah," she murmured. "What is all this?"

" _This_ is what I think you would call a 'happy ending.'" He settled his hands on her waist and steered her toward one of the chairs. When she had sat down, he went back into the kitchen and brought out two glasses, a bottle of champagne on ice, and two thick slices of decadent chocolate cake.

While he poured the champagne, she looked up at him curiously.

"Is something ending?"

"Hmm?"

"You said it's a happy ending."

"The day is ending, Ga Eul-yang."

"Oh, I see."

She picked up Milo, who had crept underneath the table, and sat him down on her lap. Stroking him, she surveyed the brilliant decorations with renewed awe.

"I was going to take you the fanciest restaurant in Stockholm," Yi Jeong said. "But I thought you might like this better."

Ga Eul smiled and nodded approvingly.

"If you ever need a job, Sunbae, I think you'd make an excellent waiter."

"Coming from someone who works in the food service industry, I'll take that as a compliment."

"You should."

"But Ga Eul-yang, don't you think we should talk about this cat situation?" Yi Jeong sat down in the chair across from Ga Eul and looked pointedly at Milo, who only began to purr louder. "That cat still gets more affection than I do."

"You're going to bring him back to Korea, right?" Ga Eul asked only half-jokingly.

"If you want him that badly, but he's staying with you."

"I don't know why you act like you don't like him so much."

"I don't like him. He's trying to steal my girl."

Ga Eul rolled her eyes and set Milo back on the ground.

"Can you imagine?" she asked Milo. "F4's Casanova afraid of a cat?" Remembering something, she added, "Two cats, actually."

Yi Jeong gave her a look, and she laughed.

"All right, if you're so smart," Yi Jeong said, getting us from the table, "why don't we try dancing again? And you're not allowed to step on my toes."

"I won't step on you," Ga Eul protested, getting up and taking his hand. "I've gotten a lot better."

"Your problem is you never trust where I'm going. You always want to step your own way. Try closing your eyes."

"You really want a new pair of shoes, don't you?"

"Just close them." Yi Jeong pulled her closer to him.

She raised her eyebrows, trying to understand what he was getting at.

"Ga Eul-yang, I'm serious." His dark eyes conveyed the truth of that statement.

"This is new," she said, her eyes fluttering shut at last.

"I'm going to start out with my left foot, and after that you just have to sense where I'm going, okay?"

"Okay." Ga Eul nodded and tried to concentrate on the steps she remembered instead of the comforting warmth of his body against hers.

They started out slow, just forming a small circle in the garden. Then Yi Jeong twirled her around and she heard the door to the house slide open.

"Is this another level in our dancing lessons? How many pieces of furniture do I have to hit before I fail out?"

"You're not going to run into anything if you just follow me...And keep your eyes closed. I saw that."

"Keep your eyes closed," Ga Eul mimicked him. "Kind of defeats the purpose of following someone, don't you think?" The truth was, though, that the longer she kept her eyes closed, the more her other senses became heightened, and she found herself better able to anticipate his next move. She relaxed into the pull of his body as they moved through the house, Yi Jeong twirling her around at intervals, and when they finally stopped and she found herself in the middle of his workshop, she realized she hadn't stepped on his toes once.

"See what happens when you trust your partner?" He pulled away from her and leaned back against a table, a rather smug expression on his face.

Too smug for Ga Eul's liking.

"See what happens when your partner is so skilled she can dance an entire waltz with her eyes closed and not run into anything?"

"Yeah. Good job, student." Yi Jeong walked over to the counter along one wall and pulled a familiar gift bag from underneath a cabinet. "When I was learning to throw clay for the first time, my teacher had me practice doing it with my eyes closed. He said I needed to anticipate how the clay was moving instead of waiting until it got out of my control."

He handed Ga Eul the bag.

"You still have this?" she asked, both stunned and amused.

"I found it when I was cleaning out my closet one day."

Ga Eul laughed.

"I thought you threw them away."

"The bag?"

"My chocolates. You had so many," she said, opening up the bag and feeling around for the present beneath the tissue paper. She finally pulled out a tiny, ornately painted white porcelain box and held it up to inspect the painted designs.

"Ah, this is pretty."

"Careful. That's 14th century porcelain."

Ga Eul snapped her arms back down and gingerly set the box down on the table beside her.

"S-Sunbae, shouldn't you keep that locked up somewhere?"

"I'm kidding, Ga Eul-yang. I made that myself." Yi Jeong laughed.

"Quit scaring me like that."

"So you would care more about breaking an ancient box made by someone you don't even know than one of mine?"

"Quit fishing for compliments."

"I don't need to fish for those, Ga Eul-yang…Go ahead. Open it."

Picking up the lid, Ga Eul set it down in laboriously slow motion and laughed when Yi Jeong appeared pained by how careful she was being. She pulled out the bundle of tissue paper in the box and unwound it until she found a gold chain with a heart pendant that appeared to be made from cracked white porcelain with gold shining through the cracks. The heart was encased in two thin gold metal pieces forming a heart shape in the front and the back that held the pendant on the necklace, and a circular diamond sparkled in the very center of the heart.

"The heart isn't cracked. Those are all broken bits of pottery that were mended together to form a heart using a lacquer mixed with gold. It's from this Japanese method of repairing pottery called kintsugi."

Ga Eul nodded as she cradled the pendant in her palm and examined it.

"It's so pretty," she said, her voice tinged with awe.

"Want me to put it on you?"

She smiled and nodded enthusiastically.

Yi Jeong came up behind her and fastened the chain around her neck.

"Don't lose this," he said. "I designed it myself. We can't go to a department store and get a new one."

"You made it?!"

"Not exactly. I drew up a design for what I wanted and took it to some people I know. The pottery is mine though. This is a completely narcissistic present, you understand. Now, you'll have something I made with you all the time."

A witty retort slipped to the tip of her tongue, but before she said it, she looked up into his eyes, and suddenly all the teasing left her voice.

"Thank you, Yi Jeong-ah."

He hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek.

"But what is this for? Aren't I supposed to give you a present? It's your exhibition."

"I wouldn't have had an exhibition if it wasn't for you." He brushed some loose hair back from her face. "Thanks for not giving up on me. This is a really belated present when you think about it."

Ga Eul smiled and wrapped her arms around him. It was odd. She remembered when Jun Pyo had given Jan Di her necklace some years ago and how badly she'd wished at the time that someone would give her something special like that one day, something just for her. Now that she'd gotten it, though, it felt like the gift didn't really matter so much. She just wanted the person who gave her the gift. If it hadn't come from him, she wouldn't have wanted it.

She spoke again, her voice quiet and half-muffled by his dress shirt. "I don't need a present, Sunbae. I mean, I really like it, but I already got what I wanted."

Yi Jeong didn't say anything, but from the way he squeezed her she knew he understood.

They stood there for a while, Ga Eul breathing in the comforting scent of the familiar cologne that clung to his shirt.

Finally, Yi Jeong broke the silence.

"So…are we going to stand here all night, or can we do some things that involve lying down?"

"Jan Di told me nothing good happens in a playboy's bedroom at this time of night. That's exactly what she said when you were pulling me away from her earlier."

"Well, then, it's a good thing I don't see any playboys around here."

Ga Eul pulled her head away, looked up at him, and smiled.

He leaned his forehead against hers and whispered, "That doesn't mean we can't do bad things, though."

"Really?"

"Mm-hmm."

"But Sunbae."

"Hmm?"

"I'm not allowed to get ideas, remember?"

"I'll make an exception just this once." He kissed her gently at first, then pressed her up against the nearest wall and deepened the kiss, driving his fingers into her hair.

Ga Eul closed her eyes and relaxed into the kiss.

Soon, they had both gotten so lost in what they were doing to each other that neither of them noticed another person enter the room until a loud throat-clearing interrupted them.

Ga Eul's eyes shot open, and she pushed Yi Jeong away from her at what she saw.

Turning around, Yi Jeong immediately moved to stand in front of Ga Eul, which she, in her embarrassment, didn't mind. She had known she would run into Yi Jeong's father again eventually, but she had never expected to see him in the middle of the night with Yi Jeong's tongue stuck halfway down her throat.

When Yi Jeong didn't say anything, she finally scooted out from behind him. Bowing deeply, she greeted the elder So. He took Ga Eul's hand and kissed it and must have held on a bit too long for Yi Jeong's liking because he snatched her hand away and pulled her back towards him, clenching her hand in his but not interlocking their fingers like he normally did. Some light of recognition flickered in the elder So's face.

"So she's the one," he said. It wasn't a question. He smiled. "Pleasure to see you again, Miss…Chu Ga Eul, isn't it?"

"Ga Eul-yang, would you give us a moment?"

Ga Eul glanced at Yi Jeong, whose playful demeanor had quickly devolved into stoic rage, and at Yi Jeong's father, who looked rather amused at the situation.

"O-of course. Nice to see you again, Ahjussi." She bowed and quickly left the room, closing the door behind her. Instead of going to Yi Jeong's room, however, she knelt down next to the door at the entrance of Yi Jeong's workshop and pressed her ear up against it.

"Sorry I missed the exhibition," Yi Jeong's father was saying. "Flight delays, troublesome things. Still entertaining the ladies, I see."

"What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to quit coming around my workshop?"

"Hers?"

"Take your filthy hands off of that pot. And state your purpose in coming here or leave."

There was a long silence. Something screeched along the floor, probably a chair being pulled out.

"All right. Let's get to it then. Your mother is to be put in an institution."

Another silence.

"You know Harabeoji won't allow that."

"Oh, not in Korea. No, he's sending her to Australia. Officially, she'll be visiting her parents. You know they retired down there. Maybe she'll come back with a modicum of sense."

"You came all this way to tell me that? What do you expect me to do here? Cry?"

Yi Jeong voice sounded calm yet tinged with derision the way it did deep in her memory telling her to hold out for the highlight of the night.

"Your grandfather thought you might want to see her before she leaves," his father continued in a rather disinterested tone. "He also thought it would be a good opportunity for you to meet some important people."

"Important?"

"Important as in indispensable to your future…Pretty, isn't she?"

"Tell him I'm not interested."

"You can't avoid this forever, you know."

"Why? You've done such a great job avoiding Omma for the past twenty-seven years. I thought I'd avoid that mistake altogether."

"You can't avoid your fate."

"And what if there's another fate?"

"Then there will be consequences to that one as well."

Ga Eul jumped as something slammed down on a table.

Then the back door banged shut. Twice.

Ga Eul stayed rooted to where she sat for what felt like forever until finally she heard another door slam shut.

The front door this time.

Scrambling up, Ga Eul made fast tracks to Yi Jeong's bedroom and took out one of her textbooks to make it look like she'd been reading. She heard his footsteps approach and pass by the bedroom.

She waited for a long time, but he never came in the room. Finally, she got up and put her pajamas on and tiptoed throughout the house in search of him, unsure of whether or not his father was still there. Finding nothing but darkness, she pulled on a cardigan over her thin camisole and headed for the backyard.

"Yi Jeong-ah," she called out, stepping into the backyard and seeing that a fire had been lit in the bonfire pit that went virtually unused. A figure sat by the fire in one of the patio chairs. When she got closer, she realized with no little relief that it was just Yi Jeong slouched down in the chair—his tie askew, dress shirt untucked, and sleeves rolled up to show off his muscular forearms.

Not that she needed to notice that at the moment.

On second look, the fire seemed to be filled with bits of paper, crumpling and smoldering to death in the flames.

"Yi Jeong-ah, are you okay?"

He looked over at her, and in the flickering light, she could see tiredness etched on his face and under his eyes but something else too, some kind of determination about something.

He said nothing but followed her with his eyes as she stepped in front of him.

"Can I sit down?" she asked.

He nodded and sat up slightly so she could sit in his lap.

"Is your…father gone?" she asked when she had settled down with her head on his shoulder.

Yi Jeong nodded again.

"He went to a hotel."

"What did he want?" Knowing what she knew, Ga Eul was almost afraid to ask, but she knew Yi Jeong would get suspicious if she didn't ask him anything, seeing as how she constantly bothered him with questions about everything in his life.

"My mother's being sent to an institution."

"I'm so sorry."

Yi Jeong laughed humorlessly.

"It's not your fault."

"Maybe she'll really get better this time."

"Maybe."

They stayed quiet for a few minutes, letting that fragile statement drift between them. Then Ga Eul asked, "Anything else happen?"

"Aniyo. He just came to see the exhibit. See what his investment resulted in, I guess. Too late now, though. He'll have to go there in the morning before they take everything down."

Ga Eul nodded against him, and they stayed silent for another moment. She wondered how his father remembered her name and what about his 'future' they were discussing, but more immediately she wondered what was in the fire, churning into black ash.

"Jeong-ah?" she asked, fingering the front of his dress shirt and running her thumb along the buttons.

"Hmm?"

"What's in the fire?"

"Nothing. Just some old papers."

"Oh."

An owl hooted in the distance, and a light breeze blew against them, relieving some of the heat from the fire.

An idea suddenly struck Ga Eul, and she popped her head up and said, "Sunbae! I know what we've never done together!"

"Hmm?"

"Come on. Follow me." She hopped out of his lap and, grabbing his hand, tugged him out of the chair. "Hurry up."

"Why?"

"Hurry up! Hurry up! This is really important." She could tell Yi Jeong still wasn't happy about whatever his father had said, but she hoped she could distract him from that and maybe salvage the rest of the night.

Dragging him with her, she walked the length of the backyard and practically ran down the hill that sloped behind the yard into a deep valley below that always filled up with wildflowers in the spring and summer months.

Pulling him to a space where the grass wasn't quite as tall, she plopped down on her back and patted the spot next to her.

"Ga Eul-yang, do you know how much this suit costs?"

"You can buy another one tomorrow. I'll even pick it out for you."

"I don't like bugs."

Ga Eul looked at him doubtfully.

"Correction. I don't do bugs."

"Aw, come on, Sunbae. You never went camping as a kid?...Really? Never?" Ga Eul placed her hands on her stomach and gazed up at the infinite number of white stars in the blue-black sky. "And they say chaebols have everything. How can you have never done _that_?"

"Some of us prefer to relax on vacation, not get eaten alive in our sleep."

Ga Eul looked up at him, "Yi Jeong-ah." She pouted and tugged at the hem of his pant leg. "Yi Jeong-ah. Yi Jeong-ah."

"Sometimes I swear I'm dating a five-year-old." Yi Jeong tentatively sat down and stretched out beside her on his back.

She grasped his hand and sighed happily.

"I always wanted to do this with my boyfriend."

"What is this? A romantic comedy?" His voice still had a slight edge to it, but it lightened up as he fitted his hand into hers.

"So Yi Jeong, you're just mad because we got interrupted earlier." She sighed. "All men all the same. One-track minded."

Yi Jeong actually laughed then.

"Ga Eul-yang, don't you think you ought to-"

"Oh, look, Sunbae! It's a shooting star! We should make a wish!" She shook his hand excitedly. "Hurry up and make one!" She shut her eyes and concentrated real hard on what she most wanted. When she had finished, she turned to Yi Jeong. "Did you make one? It's been so long since I've seen one of those! You should make one!"

At Yi Jeong's serious expression, the smile disappeared from her face and she turned back over.

"You think I'm silly, don't you? It's all right. Just wait till my wish comes true. It came true last time. Well, at least, I think it did."

"You think it did? How can you not know?"

"It's...kind of something only the other person would know."

"You wished for me to like you, didn't you?"

"Aniyo...I wished for you to be happy. Are you happy, Sunbae?" She didn't look at him. "I hope you are. It's too beautiful a night to not be happy."

There was a long pause, but finally Yi Jeong replied, "I'm happy you're here."

Ga Eul looked down at their joined hands.

"That's not the same thing."

"Yes, it is."


	23. Chapter 23

"Woo Bin, what's up?"

"Hey bro, you got a second?"

"Why?"

"You remember that guy you wanted me to check into?"

"That guy?"

"Yeah, Kim Gong Yoo."

"Oh." In truth, the subject of that long ago encounter had slipped his mind. His senior exhibition had passed several months ago, and he now found himself overwhelmed with work for his Master's in Arts Administration, an internship with the Wetterling Gallery, and preparations for his return back to Korea. Plus, he'd meant what he said to his father the night of his exhibition. He refused to be another pawn in his grandfather's chess game. The night he'd finally burned those photos of Ga Eul was where it had stopped. Two years ago his grandfather's threats had scared him, but on that night with the critics' praises still ringing in his ears, the whole thing seemed rather foolish. After all, his grandfather may have paid for his education and his therapy, but he couldn't have convinced Yi Jeong to take up pottery again. Ga Eul was the only person able to get through to him, and every piece of art he had created since then had been inspired by her in some way. She was the single greatest muse he'd ever had, and muses, unbidden or not, were never to be ignored.

Of course, there was another reason he couldn't think of leaving her now—one that had taken a while for his brain to register and was taking even longer for him to admit to her. He didn't know when it had started exactly. Maybe he had loved her for a long time and had just never realized it.

"Yi Jeong?" Woo Bin's voice brought him back to the present. He shifted the phone to his other ear and rifled through some papers on his desk.

"What about him?" Yi Jeong asked. "Did he go to see Ga Eul again?"

"He's dead."

Yi Jeong's hand stilled.

He was dead. Yi Jeong felt something akin to relief, although he knew that was not the most appropriate response upon hearing someone had died, particularly someone he knew Ga Eul had been close to. Still, he hadn't been able to shake the bad feeling he associated with this vague character from Ga Eul's past.

"How did he die? Recently?"

"You're not going to like it."

The ominous feeling returned.

"Why?"

Woo Bin lapsed into silence, which only made Yi Jeong sit up straighter and ask him again, more insistently this time, "Why?"

"Bro, what I'm about to tell you…it's confidential."

"What is it?"

"The thing is, he was working for my father. Actually, he had been for some years, but it was all undercover. First he was in Japan. He was in Japan for a long time, and then for the past two years he's been back here."

"I thought you said you couldn't find anything about him."

"I might be the heir, but there's still some things only my father has access to. Whatever Gong Yoo was working on for him, it must have been pretty important. Even in our records, he was under a different name, different birthday, different place of birth. I mean, where he grew up, where he went to school, this guy changed everything about himself. He was right under my nose, and I couldn't see him. He was good at what he did, I'll give him that. You never know what makes a guy like that snap."

"'Snap'?"

"A few days ago there was supposed to have been a…meeting…between my father's men and some of my father's…associates. It was supposed to be, like, thirty minutes, but nobody heard from anybody for the rest of the afternoon, and when we went to check it out, everyone was dead."

"Everyone…including Gong Yoo?"

Woo Bin paused again, and Yi Jeong could tell he was figuring out how much to say.

"There supposed to be some money exchanged—about five hundred million won. At first we thought it was someone we hadn't accounted for who had taken off with the money, but when we played back the security footage, it was all Gong Yoo. Took out seven armed men just like that, then put the gun up to his own head and pulled the trigger. You know, he looked right at the camera as he did that, like it was some kind of message. I'm still trying to piece it together, but we never found the money. It doesn't look like the footage was tampered with. My guess is Gong Yoo got ahold of it before the meeting and stashed it away for someone to pick up later. But he wasn't even supposed to be there. That's what I don't get. He just walked in there like he was the angel of death or something and started shooting. I don't know what his trigger was, man, but whatever it was, he snapped hard."

He paused again, then said, "There's something else too."

"I'm listening." Yi Jeong was, indeed, all ears.

"My father said he was picked up that way, moved up through the ranks. He was involved in a local branch of my father's organization when he was in high school and killed one of his higher-ups, but he got lucky. Turned out the guy had been stealing money from their boss and Gong Yoo had found him out. My father said he had a lot of rage back then, told his boss he could care less about the money, that he had beat the guy up because he killed his best friend. I guess that struck a chord or something. The guy cheated death. Instead of a beat-down he got promotion after promotion."

Yi Jeong frowned.

"His best friend was Ga Eul's brother. But she said he died in a car accident."

"Maybe it wasn't such an accident."

A sudden chill came over Yi Jeong.

"Was her brother involved in-?"

"Not that I can tell."

"Do you think Ga Eul and her family are in any danger?"

"From something that happened ten years ago? Nah. I've had my men keep an eye out though. They haven't seen anything to worry about so far…I don't think Ga Eul knows anything about this. Do you want to tell her?"

"Aniyo. He's dead now. They're both dead. Can you bury it?"

"Bury what?"

"I owe you one."


	24. Chapter 24

" _Omma, who is that?"_

" _Madeleine, quit barging into my room like this! What did I tell you about knocking first?"_

" _Yes, Omma…But Omma, look what I made! You can have it if you want."_

" _Go do your homework, Madeleine."_

" _But Omma, I can almost draw as good as you now."_

" _Madeleine, I told you to go do your homework."_

" _But I'm already done."_

" _There's always more studying to do. Now get off of my bed. Go on now. Shoo!"_

" _But Omma—"_

" _Fine, Madeleine, give me the damn paper. Now get the hell out of my room. Come on."_

" _Omma, you're hurting my arm."_

" _Well, you should learn to listen to your Omma. Life will be a lot less painful for you."_

" _Omma! Omma, let me in! Omma! Omma!...Omma…"_

* * *

The hotel they had come to for Woo Bin's birthday far from suited Madeleine's expensive tastes, but at least it served the pair's more immediate need for anonymity and seclusion well enough. She had bought a new fitted strapless black dress for the evening, although they didn't eat out, choosing instead to order room service. Madeleine had picked at the cheap offerings, but Woo Bin had devoured his in short order-a taste he must have developed from hanging out with those two commoner friends he was always talking about, one of whom-she could hardly believe this-was engaged to the Shinwa heir Gu Jun Pyo.

At the moment, they had finished dinner, and he had just sat down on the bed and opened his birthday present from her. Madeleine stood by the window, its beige curtains drawn back to give them a quaint view of the city at night.

Woo Bin had been staring at his birthday present for so long Madeleine thought he must really not like it. He must be coming up with appropriate—

"It's the most beautiful thing anyone's ever given me." He looked up and smiled at her. "Thank you."

"Well, I didn't have time to buy anything, but I painted that recently and thought you might like it." The painting she had given him depicted the Han river at night with the reflection of the city's tall buildings and bright lights reflected in the dark water. There were shadow figures, too, of people walking along the riverbank, bright patches of color dotting their silhouettes at intervals.

Woo Bin set the painting down on the bed with a final admiring look, then turned toward her with that same gentle expression.

Crossing her arms, she shifted her weight to her other leg and looked out the window.

She hated it when he looked at her like that-all longing and trust. Too much trust.

After they had met at the construction site, she had hardly been able to walk from one building to another at school without seeing him or—once—literally running into him. At first, he never said anything to her, but sometimes their eyes would meet, and she would see amusement in his eyes as he gazed at her with such an intensity that she would always have to look away first.

Finally, one day she forgot her umbrella and made the mistake of taking him up on his offer to drive her over to her car at the end of the university parking lot. He had asked her out that day and had been firmly rejected.

So he asked her out again the next day. And the next and the next.

When it had become abundantly clear that he would not give up, she'd finally given in and gone out with him. Once. Then twice. Then again and again. She refused to think of their outings as dates—diversions maybe, distractions from some not-so-distant reality that awaited them, but certainly not dates.

Never mind that she now had his number on speed dial.

Never mind that they celebrated each other's birthdays and occasionally took weekend trips together.

Never mind that she spent the night at his apartment two or three times a week. It wasn't like she slept over just to be sleeping there, she rationalized. She wasn't a virgin when she'd met him, and she certainly wasn't one now. He probably had other girls over when she wasn't there, she reasoned, knowing that wasn't true. It was all anyone could talk about, the notorious Don Juan's absence from Seoul nightlife. The two of them went to clubs occasionally, of course, but usually lower end places where they would be less likely to be recognized or run into someone they knew.

She wouldn't want anyone to misunderstand, although from the look on Woo Bin's face reflected in the window glass she could tell she was already failing at that in the worst way possible.

"Madeleine, don't you think we should talk about us now?"

Her shoulders tensed. She didn't move.

"I'm serious. We—"

"I didn't wear this dress so we could sit here talking, Woo Bin Song."

She turned so that the front of the dress faced him for a much fuller effect.

"Madeleine." Woo Bin stood up and made as if to approach her, that dead serious expression still on his face.

"Woo Bin Song." Madeleine leaned her shoulders and head against the window so that her body arched out at an angle.

"Madeleine, I don't just want to bed you every couple of nights. I actually care about you. You know that, right?"

She smiled sweetly and raised her eyebrows.

"I know you take _very_ good care of me."

He seemed to take that as encouragement to continue, and he moved in closer and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Madeleine, we could go out for real. Quit all this sneaking around. I've been wanting to introduce you to my friends for a while now. You'll like them, and I know they'll be excited to meet you."

Madeleine just smiled again, hoping he'd drop the subject like he always did when he realized she wasn't interested.

"Madeleine." Woo Bin brushed back a few of the long, soft curls that fell over her shoulders. "I really like you."

His gaze had such an intensity to it, but it wasn't desire. Desire she could deal with. Desire she could control and manipulate to her advantage.

No, the light in his eyes held something deeper and larger and much more terrifying.

"I want you to be my girlfriend. My only girlfriend. Just us."

"It is just the two of us here."

He dropped his hand.

"That's not what I mean. I want to do the right thing by you."

Oh god, couldn't he just leave it alone? She'd already had a crappy week after learning that her mother wanted her to come back to France for a month. She didn't need a morality lecture right now. She needed sex. A lot of it.

"Woo Bin-ah." Her voice had an annoyed edge to it she hoped he didn't miss. "I like us the way we are. I'm not asking you to do anything." She lowered her voice and spoke sweetly again as she placed her hands on his chest. "Although there are some things I'd like to do to _you_." Tugging at his shirt, she succeeded in drawing him closer.

When she spoke again, it was in English: "Come on, Woo Bin-ah. I only bought this dress so I could take it off for you." Reaching behind her, she unzipped her dress down to her pantyline, and it fell off of her, liberating the lacy lingerie underneath—a one-piece strapless black lace basque with solid black material over the breasts and sheer black lace the rest of the way down her torso and between her thighs. A little opening on her lower abdomen showed just the tiniest sliver of bare skin, tantalizing in its singularity.

"The question is, can you take the rest of this off?" She ran her fingertips down his chest and stomach, stopping once she reached the waistband of his pants. "Woo Bin Song." His name rolled off the tip of her tongue like beats on a xylophone.

He didn't say anything though she could feel him heating up. Honestly, she liked him better when he teased her, when their verbal back and forth spilled over into an equally passionate night of pleasure. But she had dealt with Woo Bin's moods before whenever he started getting too many ideas about their relationship, and she could certainly deal with him now.

Inching the top of her basque down rather perceptibly, she looked straight up into his eyes and reached for his belt.

Her fingers had just touched the cold metal of the buckle when he grabbed at her hands and flung them away from him. He backed away from the window, away from her, into the center of the room and sat down on the bed. An irritated expression had come over his face, and in a cold voice he told her to get dressed, that he would drop her off at her apartment.

Madeleine straightened up.

"But…but we just—"

"Damn it, Madeleine, why don't you just tell me the truth?!" He stood up so abruptly that Madeleine jumped a little and pressed one hand against the window glass for support.

"The—the truth about what?" Oh, great. Now she had made him angry. She knew Woo Bin would never hurt her, but she still didn't like it when he got mad because it took forever for him to calm back down. Plus, he looked absolutely terrifying, and she had a feeling she wouldn't like to be a gang member on the other end of his fist.

"Just tell me you don't want to go out with me. Just tell me you wouldn't be my girlfriend even if hell froze over."

Madeleine frowned. Now she wasn't sure what he was getting at.

"What are you talking about?"

"You don't want to be seen with me. You don't want to be associated with me. You don't want your family's good name tainted with mine."

"Oh, what the hell, Woo Bin-ah?"

"It makes perfect sense now. You just want to get off on screwing with danger. Tell me, Ms. Yi, do I excite you? I suppose after we're both married off, you'll still want to have these secret…how do you say it… _rendezvous_?"

"You're out of your mind."

"You're right. I am out of my mind. I'm out of my mind for thinking any member of the high and mighty Yi family would accept someone with my connections."

"Is that what this is about? Your mafia connections? It's funny. I don't remember ever bringing that up."

"Then _why_ won't you answer my question? Why won't you consider us?"

" _You_ approached _me_ , remember? I didn't ask for this!"

"Yeah, like you're not asking for it now."

"Stop it."

"What do you want from me, Madeleine Yi? You want me to sit at home like an obedient little dog waiting for its Master? Waiting for you to call and tell me when you want to see me this week? When and how and where. Just the two of us. It's always just the two of us. You're damn right about that."

"I don't know, okay?!" Madeleine snapped. "I don't know what to tell you!" Brushing past him, she moved away from the window. Grabbing his dark brown leather jacket off one of the lounge chairs opposite the bed, she slipped it over her shoulders and slumped down into the chair. She meant to get angry with him in return or at the very least succeed in ignoring him, but just the scent of his cologne on his jacket collar had a calming effect on her, and after a few moments she was able to speak again in a much more rational tone.

"Look, it's not because of your family, okay? You know as well as I do that people in our world can't just decide they're going to be with someone and have everyone be okay with it, regardless of who that someone is."

"Madeleine, I think even commoners have that problem."

"You know what I mean."

"I'm not saying that we have to go public with it or something like that. I just meant I'd like us to at least have an understanding between us. So I could introduce you to my friends. Whatever happens after that, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Just one thing at a time."

He walked over and held out his hand to her like they were at a business meeting, like she wasn't barely clothed and draped across the chair in a rather risqué fashion. For a moment, she just stared at his hand. She knew she'd be signing her own death warrant if she took it.

So like the fool she knew she was, she grasped it and let him pull her up and wrap his arms around her, his jacket collapsing onto the carpet. Then she let him take her like she knew he'd been aching to do all evening, his name becoming a hollow echo in her mouth until she mercifully forgot her own.


	25. Chapter 25

Ga Eul hadn't had this nightmare in a long time. The one where her brother went over the edge of the bridge, his face and hands pressed up against the back of the car window like he was a little kid who didn't want to go somewhere, maybe to a doctor's appointment or piano lessons. At first, she was standing on the bridge watching him go over, hearing the crunch of glass against metal. Then she was inside the car with him as they both went under, the freezing water numbing her skin as she clawed frantically at the door handle and banged her scrawny elbow against the door window, trying to smash it. She looked over at her brother—knocked unconscious, maybe already dead. Even in her dream, she remembered what the autopsy report had said—that he had died from injuries sustained during the crash, not from drowning. Maybe before he even hit the water, people had said, he was already gone. They said it in a conciliatory manner, like that should make Ga Eul feel better about the whole thing.

Ga Eul always thought, though, that if he had been conscious enough, maybe he could have gotten out of the car in time. Maybe he would still be with her. She hadn't figured it out yet, but she knew there was a way out. If she could just find something to break open the window…

The car always filled up with water too fast. The current jammed the doors shut, simultaneously keeping the water out and trapping it in. She was too weak—had never been a fighter like Jan Di—but still she kicked and barreled at the door until her body gave out and the world went black though she knew her eyes were still open and she woke up gasping for air.

* * *

With shaking hands, Ga Eul reached over to turn her alarm clock off and turn on her bedside lamp. The sun hadn't come up yet, and in the dim light from the lamp she stumbled out of bed and over to the small refrigerator in her tiny one-room apartment. Her hands trembled as she poured herself a glass of water and sipped it slowly, and when she returned back to her bed, her whole body felt cold despite the rather warm temperature in the room. Burying herself back under her covers, she closed her eyes and tried to make herself see anything other than the images haunting her dreams lately. In the past week, she'd had one dream about her brother's memorial service and another about the day he moved out of her parent's house and into an apartment with Gong Yoo and an older guy she'd only met once but didn't like. In her dream, she was grabbing everything out of Gong Yoo's car as her brother put it in, begging him to not to leave. In real life, she'd been mad at him and refused to come out of her room until he left, until late, late at night after her parent's fell into an exhausted sleep and she crept into his abandoned bedroom to stare at the stars on his ceiling that had been there since before she was born.

Ga Eul rubbed her face with her hands.

_Today. Focus on today_ , she told herself.

It was Friday, thankfully, and the kids had a holiday on Monday even though she knew she would have to use the extra time to catch up on her grading. Still, Yi Jeong would be coming back to Korea in another week, so she had determined to get ahead on as much as she could before he returned. Having him so close again would be a bit surreal, she thought, especially seeing him in all their old haunts knowing how much their relationship had changed since he'd left. She wondered if he would continue to live at his childhood home or if he would get his own apartment. Probably the latter. She made a mental note to ask him when she called later that day.

Her cellphone rung from its place on her nightstand—the newest iPhone, Yi Jeong's latest present to her that had arrived in the mail several weeks ago. Picking up the phone, Ga Eul saw the picture of her and her mother at her college graduation lit up across the front.

"Omma? Is everything okay? Why are you calling so early?"

"Good morning to you too."

Ga Eul smiled and half-closed her eyes again as she stretched back out on her bed.

"Good morning."

"Your father wants to clean out some things in the basement this weekend, and he wants to repaint the guest room. Would you mind coming over and seeing if there's anything you want before we donate it?"

The guest room. That was what her mother called it. Never her brother's old room. This was the second time they'd repainted it since Ga Eul's grandmother had left. She guessed they couldn't find a somber enough shade.

"Sure. I'll come tonight and spend the night."

"Okay, great. I'll make daeji bulgogi."

"Mm, sounds good." Ga Eul pushed her covers down and picked at some of the chipping rose pink polish on her fingernails.

"How are classes going?"

"Pretty good. I have a few troublemakers, but mostly the kids are real sweet."

"That's usually how they are. Always those few mischief-makers in the bunch." Ga Eul's mother had been a teacher, too, once upon a time, and she sometimes gave Ga Eul advice on how to deal with certain situations, this being Ga Eul's first year officially teaching. "I'm sure they're glad they got the young, pretty teacher, though," her mother continued. "Especially the boys."

"Omma…"

"What? You don't remember Kim Sang Bum Songsaengnim?"

"My second grade teacher?"

"You came home the first day of school and told me your teacher was a movie star. You thought he looked like…oh, what's the name of that actor again…"

"Omma." Ga Eul giggled. "I don't remember that."

"You wanted to pick flowers for him every day," her mother continued in an affected tone she always used when pretending to be mad. "You know, most children pick flowers for their Ommas, but you only picked them for your Sonsgsaengnim. I was so upset."

"You want me to bring flowers for you tonight? I'm old enough to buy pretty ones now."

Her mother sighed.

"Aniyo, you can't bring those moments back. When you have children someday, you'll understand."

"Okay."

"By the way, how is your friend over in Sweden? Still coming back this month?"

"Yes, he's coming back in a week."

"That's good. Tell him to come over for dinner when he does. Your father and I want to meet him."

"Appa wants to meet him?"

"If I say he does, he does."

"Okay…Omma, I need to get ready for work, but I will see you tonight, all right?"

"All right. Take care. I'll see you this evening."

"Take care. Bye."

Ga Eul hung up the phone and stared up at the large scuff mark on the part of the ceiling directly above her bed. She'd come up with several outlandish theories for how it had gotten there, but none of them now distracted her enough to calm her rapid heartbeat, which had started to decline as her mother's soothing voice greeted her but picked up again with the announcement that she wanted to invite Yi Jeong over for dinner.

Not that she didn't want him to meet her parents. They knew about him, of course. In fact, they had known about him for some time at this point. The problem was that they didn't know exactly who he was. When her mother had asked how they met, she had described him as a friend of Jan Di's. She hadn't mentioned he was also the best friend of Jan Di's significant other and one of the most high-profile former playboys in Korea. She could only pray that they reacted better than Jan Di did upon hearing the news. Then again, she'd seen Yi Jeong's charm work its magic on all sorts of people—from art critics to university officials to maids to bartenders. She could only hope it worked on overprotective parents as well.

* * *

The past month in France had been every level of hell Madeleine thought it would be. Her mother had insisted on eating regular meals with her—on actually speaking to her—which she only did when she wanted to talk Madeleine out of or into something. Her brother had been his usual annoying self, although fortunately she saw little of him as he spent half the day passing his work off on other people and the rest of it partying at his apartment.

She could do her brother's job better with her eyes closed. He was supposed to be making the most of his training in hotel management, but Madeleine doubted her father had any idea what her brother did when he was out of the country, especially since Madeleine lived with her father in Korea, and he seemed to have little idea what she did in her spare time, even when she stayed over at Woo Bin's apartment for nights on end.

They had a few clueless new maids scurrying around her childhood home, but Madeleine didn't bother to learn their names; they'd be gone by the time she returned to France.

She'd had few close friends in high school and none close enough to call after all those years, so Madeleine had spent a large amount of her time at home painting in the basement room she had renovated into a studio as a teenager. The rest of the time she'd spent shopping, putting most of her purchases on her brother's card and shoplifting the rest. One day she'd been fortunate enough to run into her brother's latest girlfriend—an air-headed heiress with one of those nails-on-chalkboard voices—and had gotten some minor thrill out of lifting her clothes from the dressing room when she had stepped out for a moment. She had considered returning the lacy rose summer dress to her brother's apartment—half the bitch's clothes were over there anyway—but the dress had turned out to be Madeleine's size…

Yes, her childhood home was exactly the way she'd left it, aside from some minor home décor renovations. Same dead-quiet. Same horrible food. Same cheap people.

She would be flying back to Korea this afternoon, however, in preparation for her debut oil painting exhibition at the So family's art museum.

At the moment, she was attempting to pack her last few belongings into her carry-on. She had packed all of her things herself, claiming one could never be too careful where new household help was concerned.

Her mother insisted on hovering over her to the last, begging her to reconsider permanently moving to Korea.

"Madeleine, I still don't understand why you want to live in that godforsaken place. Your friends are here. Your brother is here. The critics love you. You can do anything you want."

_Except get away from you, apparently._

Madeleine shoved her phone charger under her sweater and stuffed her makeup bag into the corner of the small rolling Louis Vitton suitcase.

"You have such talent," her mother continued. "I would simply hate to see you throw it all away on someone so…so beneath you."

The makeup bag wouldn't fit. Pulling out her sweater and readjusting a few other items, she maneuvered the bag into the tiny space again.

There. Perfect.

"You know you can't run away from this once you go down that road. You're stuck with your decision. No one's going to save you."

Madeleine scoffed and muttered, "He must have really been something."

"Don't mumble. It's unbecoming."

Madeleine forced the top of the carry-on down with one arm and zipped it up with some effort. When she had finished, she replied, just loud enough for her mother to hear, "I said, 'He must have really been something.' I wonder if it runs in the family."

Her mother grabbed her wrist, but Madeleine shook her off. She clicked the lock on her carry-on shut and set it on the floor. Hoisting her purse over her shoulder, she turned to head to the door, but her mother stepped in front of her, a determined look on her face.

"Yi Hye Jin, you don't know what you're doing," she hissed.

For a moment, Madeleine stared at her mother—at the nearly imperceptible lines of age beginning to crease her forehead, at the emotion that looked deceptively like worry shining in her normally hard brown eyes.

Madeleine forced her voice to come out calm and uncaring.

"Omma, my name is Madeleine, and I've always known what I'm doing." She leaned in closer and whispered, "Always." Pushing past her mother, she tugged her carry-on rather violently behind her so that it nearly hit her mother's foot.

"Yi Hye Jin is the name on your birth certificate!" her mother called after her as she made her way down the hallway.

Another piece of paper Madeleine should have destroyed.

* * *

"You told me you weren't coming for another week!" Ga Eul exclaimed, shutting the door to her classroom behind the last couple of students racing out to meet their parents.

"Surprised?" Yi Jeong reached over and brushed some dried clay out of her hair. He had cut his hair. The new style made him look older, more mature.

"Well…I would say 'yes,' but then I guess I should know better by now than to be surprised at anything you do." She moved over to collect some of her papers in the corner of the room but kept her eyes on him. "What? No grabbing my wrist this time?"

Yi Jeong raised his eyebrows.

"I know you're here to take me somewhere, so come on. Out with it." Sticking the paperwork in a folder, she set it down beside her purse.

Yi Jeong hooked his thumbs in his jacket pockets and smirked at her.

"You really forgot, didn't you?"

Ga Eul scrunched her eyebrows in confusion.

"What do you mean? I forgot where you're taking me?"

"You don't remember what I promised you? Four years ago?" Yi Jeong sighed and looked past her to the window. "Oh god, don't tell me I'm becoming the romantic in this relationship."

Ga Eul broke out into a huge grin as realization hit her.

"I'm the first one you've seen, aren't I?"

"I drove straight here from the airport." He stepped over to her. "May I kiss the pretty teacher?"

"Only if you're good in class," Ga Eul said in her stern teacher voice.

"I'm good at kissing. Does that count?"

"Mmmm…" Ga Eul pretended to think about it even as she saw Yi Jeong leaning in towards her.

At the last second, she closed her eyes and waited to feel his lips on hers, but the sensation never came.

She waited a few seconds.

Her eyes fluttered open again.

His face still hovered over her, but he was staring at the window behind her with a serious expression.

Did she have clay on her face? Was the principal staring in at them?!

Suddenly, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards the door.

"Let's go."

"What…But Sunbae, I have to get my…" Ga Eul grabbed at her purse as he flicked the lights off and pulled her into the hallway.


	26. Chapter 26

The door swung open to reveal the tiniest apartment Yi Jeong had ever seen, even tinier than the one Jan Di had lived in with her brother. Earlier that day, Yi Jeong had taken Ga Eul to the beach where Jun Pyo had instructed them all to meet for his proposal to Jan Di, and just like he'd imagined, Ga Eul had been all squeals and giggles—practically more excited than Jan Di herself. He thought she would pull his arm out of its socket with all of her excitement. It took a good amount of prodding to get her to leave the newly engaged couple alone so that he could get _her_ alone, but they'd finally headed back to her recently acquired one room apartment.

One _bedroom_ , he'd assumed when she'd talked about it over the phone.

He'd been wrong. One room meant one room.

This apartment—this _room_ , he should say—made him feel more claustrophobic than the elevator they'd just come up in.

"Ga Eul-yang." Yi Jeong kicked aside an umbrella that had fallen over near the entrance. "Why don't you just live with your parents? Wouldn't you have more space?"

"Well, this is closer to the school." Ahead of him, Ga Eul set her purse down and slipped off her shoes. "Plus," she continued excitedly, "it's the first time I've ever been able to afford my own place. I can invite guys over whenever I want." Ga Eul winked at him and twirled around as she stepped over to the other side of the room to put her shoes away.

"Very funny," Yi Jeong called after her as he slipped his own shoes off, wondering where he should put them so that they didn't clutter up the floor. He finally set them down next to Ga Eul's while she wandered over to the microscopic kitchen area.

"Do you want some tea?" Ga Eul asked, pulling out a canister of tea leaves Yi Jeong had given her in Sweden.

"If you're having some."

"All right...Oh, I almost forgot!" Ga Eul crossed back over to where he stood, inspecting her perpetually dying potted plants.

Ga Eul reached up for the top buttons on her blouse and unbuttoned the very top one. After struggling to unbutton the second one for some moments, she shot Yi Jeong an imploring look.

Yi Jeong stared at her. Was Ga Eul asking him to undress her?

No, that couldn't be it, although the room had gotten rather hot all of a sudden.

He tentatively reached for her collar, trying to ignore the absurdity of his assumption.

She'd gone back to fiddling with the button when Yi Jeong brushed her hands out of the way and pulled the button free himself in one deft move. He unbuttoned the next one and was reaching for the fourth button down when Ga Eul slapped his fingers.

"Yah, what are you doing?!" She pulled both sides of her collar back so he could see her neck and the very top of her chest. "I just want to show you I'm wearing the necklace you gave me. I can't wear it over my blouse because sometimes the kids like to pull on it."

Indeed, the necklace he had given her was hanging around her neck, stopping a little ways below her collarbone. She was staring up at him with the most innocent expression, and with any other person, he would have been strongly annoyed, but with her, the whole scenario struck him as oddly sexy. He wanted to undo the rest of the buttons and show _her_ something. Instead he said, "This is a very small apartment, Ga Eul-yang."

Ga Eul frowned.

"You said that already."

"Because it's true." Yi Jeong turned away from her and tried to distract himself with the various photos hanging on her wall.

A moment later, he heard her step away and go back to fixing the tea. He realized he'd been tensed up the whole time she stood there and forced his muscles to relax.

He'd been doing relatively well keeping his hands in check in Sweden, even if his mind went to all the wrong places. Being close to Ga Eul like this every day, though, might be more of a challenge than he'd expected.

Before, he'd always said she wasn't his type.

He knew better now.

Ga Eul wasn't a type. She was Ga Eul, and that in itself was dangerous enough.

* * *

Ga Eul pulled a small kettle out and watched Yi Jeong survey the apartment with a curious expression.

She wondered what he made of her humble living arrangement. Truth be told, the bathrooms in the hotels he stayed at were generally bigger than her apartment. Thankfully, she had cleaned her apartment somewhat that morning, but she still felt like it looked a bit dingy, its hand-me-down furnishings worn and outdated, having come from her parents' basement and before that the clearance section of some middling department store years earlier.

Seeing him in her everyday life would be something different, for sure. Before, she'd always been worrying about how she would fit into his extravagant lifestyle; now she wondered if he could adjust to the mundanity of hers.

He picked up a picture of Ga Eul and her parents that she had left sitting on the table next to the couch.

"So, are you…moving back in to your parents' house?" she asked.

"Hmm?" Yi Jeong slowly put the picture back down and looked over at her. "No, I had my luggage brought over to my new apartment. There's no furniture in it yet, though. I thought maybe you could help me pick some stuff out this week?"

Ga Eul nodded and smiled.

"I'd like that."

"Good."

"Ah, can you believe it still? I thought it would never happen!" Ga Eul sighed happily, bringing two steaming mugs of tea over to the couch and setting them down on the table.

"Are you talking about the two idiots from earlier or us?"

"What's the difference?" Ga Eul plopped down on the couch and patted the cushion next to her. "Where are you staying tonight? Didn't you say all of your luggage is at Woo Bin's?"

Yi Jeong shrugged off his tie and set it on the arm of the couch along with his jacket. He sat down next to her.

"Mind if I stay with you tonight? You can feel free to pass me off to Woo Bin whenever you like. My parents aren't expecting me for another week, but the news that I'm back probably won't stay secret for long with Jun Pyo's big mouth back in the country."

Ga Eul moved over to sit in his lap and rest her head on his shoulder. He was wearing a different cologne from what he normally wore, but she liked it. She liked the crinkles on his white dress shirt and the way his hand rested on her leg just now. She liked that he was here with her instead of her coming to him. She liked that he was hers.

"Of course I don't mind," she said. "The only thing is...well, there's not a lot of space, so my bed's rather small. But...I can sleep on the couch."

"Seriously, Ga Eul?"

"Well, I wouldn't make _you_ sleep on the couch. You look like you haven't slept in days. How long have you been up now?"

"You know I don't sleep anyway."

This was true. Although he claimed he slept better when she was with him, Yi Jeong was a bit of an insomniac unless he was either drunk or exhausted. But still...

"I think we're just going to have to get extremely, extremely close," he continued, stroking her jawline with his finger. "There might not even be room for clothes. Of course, we'd be extremely hot with clothes on, anyway."

"Oh, of course," Ga Eul played along. "Hmm, I guess you won't be needing your suitcase after all."

"See, we can stay here the rest of the night." Yi Jeong kissed her forehead. The hand that had been stroking her face started massaging her arm, and she closed her eyes and relaxed into him.

The rest of the night. That's what she wanted to do-stay in his arms the rest of the...

Ga Eul's eyes snapped open.

_Crap._

"Ah, Sunbae…"

"Hmm?"

"The thing is…I didn't know you were coming, so I told my parents I would be at their house tonight. My mother's probably going to be expecting me..." She checked her watch. "...in a little over an hour."

Yi Jeong's hand dropped to her waist.

"Ah, I see. Sorry, I didn't think about that."

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. Maybe you and Woo Bin can do something?...Sunbae?"

"Can I come?"


	27. Chapter 27

Ga Eul had thought when she announced that she was supposed to have dinner with her parents that night, Yi Jeong would head over to Woo Bin's, where he had sent all of his luggage except for his carry-on, or to the new penthouse apartment he had leased while still in Sweden. Surely he would rather rest from such a long day of traveling or hang out with his friends he hadn't seen in so long than spend his first night back in Korea wooing her parents. However, to her surprise, he simply smiled at her announcement and said calmly that he had wanted to meet them and had already bought gifts for the occasion.

For her mother, he had brought handmade Swedish soaps and chocolates, and for her father, he had brought a few rare book editions. His final gift was an original vase that he had made in his last few months in Sweden. He stopped off and bought flowers on the way to the house and presented these along with the vase to her mother.

Her mother, of course, had been beyond shocked to learn that her daughter was dating _the_ So Yi Jeong. Not nearly as hysterical as Jan Di's parents were upon meeting Jun Pyo, but still she'd been going out of her way all evening to make sure Yi Jeong was comfortable and had everything he wanted or needed.

Her father, meanwhile, greeted him stoically, the revelation of Yi Jeong's celebrity status bouncing off his over-protective fatherly instincts like a ping-pong ball off of a concrete wall.

Ga Eul had expected that. She knew her father would eye him with suspicion given his reputation, or probably just given that he was a guy who wanted to date his little girl.

Yi Jeong, for his part, kept insisting that it was an honor to meet _them_ and even offered to help her mother carry all of the various dishes to the dinner table.

Even though Ga Eul knew Yi Jeong would have a ways to go where her father was concerned, she couldn't help but feel happy that he was trying so hard to make a good impression on them.

At this point, they were finishing up their food, and her mother, upon learning they had met in the porridge shop where Ga Eul worked, had launched into the story of how she and Ga Eul's father met.

"Food always brings people together. He used to deliver chicken to my parents," Ga Eul's mother said, gesturing to Ga Eul's father, who had been rather quiet most of the evening.

"They were high school sweethearts," Ga Eul informed Yi Jeong.

"Yes, except you never talked to me at school." She directed this comment at Ga Eul's father, who appeared unperturbed over a bite of noodles.

"That's because when you talk, no one can get in a word edgewise," Ga Eul's father commented, and Ga Eul's mother swatted at him with her hand before turning back to Yi Jeong with a bright smile.

"Anyway, I'm so glad you're here. Have you seen your parents yet?"

Ga Eul almost choked on her bite of noodles. She hadn't told them about Yi Jeong's strained relationship with his own family, and now probably wasn't a good time to bring it up.

Yi Jeong, however, smiled pleasantly at her mother and answered, "No, they're not expecting me until next weekend, so I'm going to surprise them by returning early. I was hoping I would get to meet Ga Eul's parents before things get too busy, as I know they probably will be once I'm officially back in the country."

"Ah, yes, of course, of course. Have some more. Eat. Eat." Ga Eul's mother deposited more food on Yi Jeong's plate.

"Yes, Eomoni. Thank you. Everything is delicious." Yi Jeong picked up another piece of pork and shoveled it in his mouth along with some rice.

"So, Yi Jeong, what do you plan to do now that you are back in Korea?"

Yi Jeong finished chewing and took a swallow of water.

"Well, I'm going to be taking over management of the Woo Sung Museum. My grandfather is about ready to retire. Probably this year I'll be taking over most of the responsibilities, but he'll still be the head of the museum until the following year."

"Ah, I see." Ga Eul's mother looked impressed. "That's a lot of responsibility for such a young person."

"Well, we're sort of raised into it, I guess. To take on a lot of responsibility, I mean."

Yi Jeong glanced over at Ga Eul, and she smiled at him while her mother nodded.

Turning back to her parents, Yi Jeong continued, "Ah, speaking of responsibilities, may I say something?"

The two parents exchanged a glance, and Ga Eul looked over at Yi Jeong in wonderment.

"Go on," her father prompted. It was the first sentence he'd spoken to Yi Jeong directly since they'd sat down to dinner.

* * *

"Go on."

In front of Ga Eul's father's piercing gaze, Yi Jeong could feel the mask of calm he had perfected over the years crumble away. To the rest of the country, he was So Yi Jeong, multi-talented child prodigy and the suave and sophisticated heir to a billion dollar art empire. To Ga Eul's father, he was only So Yi Jeong, a reprobate, irresponsible playboy who must have a lot of nerve messing around with his sweet, innocent daughter. Though he doubted the older gentleman read tabloids, he couldn't have helped but heard about Yi Jeong's alcohol-induced injury and his general reputation for 'loving' and leaving women, both of which had been scattered all over the news pending his imminent return to Korea.

Was So Yi Jeong here to take back Korea's high society girls by storm? Did the potter prodigy secretly party hard in Sweden?

Hell, this was almost as bad as having to explain himself to Madam Kang when he and Jun Pyo got into mischief as kids. He needed to say this, though, and there was no better time than the present, before the media twisted any honorable intentions he might have into fodder for the next scandalous headline. In any case, he wanted to know where he stood with Ga Eul's parents, and for them to know where Ga Eul stood with him, since he had every intention of keeping her by his side now that he was back in the country.

Shoving his chair away from the table, he stood up and bowed as though he had just come in.

"To start out I would just like to apologize."

"Apologize?" Ga Eul's mother burst out as though it were the most absurd thing she'd ever heard. "Oh, come now. Don't be silly. Sit—"

Ga Eul's father hushed her with a signal of his hand.

"Go on," he repeated.

"Yes." Yi Jeong wished he had left his suit jacket on, as he could feel himself sweating. Taking a deep breath, he began again, looking mainly at Ga Eul's father, "If this were a normal situation, I would have come to you four years earlier and asked…begged…you to accept me as your daughter's boyfriend, although I'm probably not what you had in mind for her…and I'm certainly not worthy of her." Yi Jeong glanced down. "Things being as they are, I would just like to tell you this. When I was young I did a lot of…well…questionable things…and made a lot of poor decisions. One of those decisions resulted in my hand getting injured. I'm sure you might have seen that on the news. But I would like to assure you that I don't intend to repeat those same mistakes again. You have a very special daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Chu, and I fully intend to respect her in every way. She always makes me want to be a better person, and I hope I never fail her—or you—in that respect."

An intense silence followed this announcement, punctuated only by the drip, drip, drip of the kitchen faucet, a leak he hadn't noticed before. Ga Eul's mother seemed to be waiting on her father to react.

Abruptly, Ga Eul's father shoved his own chair away from the table and disappeared into a back room. A moment later, he returned with a bottle of soju and poured some for himself and for Yi Jeong.

"I'll hold you to that," the older man announced. He motioned for Yi Jeong to take a drink, and the two of them did.

"Yeobo, where have you been hiding that all this time?" Ga Eul's mother asked when the two of them had sat back down.

"If I tell you that, I'll lose the only hiding place I've got in this house," Ga Eul's father commented. "And then you'll sift everything around, and I won't know where it is."

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yi Jeong, let me tell you something about women."

"Yi Jeong, don't listen to a word he says."

"They like to arrange things. And then they like to rearrange and rearrange things. If you're not careful, you won't know where anything is before long."

"Well, someone has to keep this house organized."

"That's right. That's why we still have all those boxes we have to clear out. Boxes from fourteen...fifteen years ago down—"

"Some of those things are yours, you know. Remember when you wanted to take up golf?"

"Cookbooks. That's what's down there. It's your cookbooks. Five whole boxes."

"Oh, hush."

"Why don't you open up a restaurant?"

"Oh? Is that a compliment? Well, you didn't have to say all that just to tell me you liked dinner, but thank you, Yeobo." Ga Eul's mother stood up and started clearing the dishes away, waving away Ga Eul when she tried to stand up and help her. "Sit down. I'll wash these later," she said, piling the dishes next to the sink.

"Cookbooks," Ga Eul's father continued, pouring more soju for himself and for Yi Jeong, "and ten million baby pictures of that one"—he nodded in Ga Eul's direction—"that have yet to be put into albums."

"Oh?" Yi Jeong asked. "I think I'd like to see those."

"Thanks, Appa," Ga Eul deadpanned.

"Ah, Ga Eul-yang's always taking pictures, too," Yi Jeong added.

"She gets it from that one right there." He gestured to his wife who was in the process of sitting down again.

"You bought me that camera. You have no one to blame but yourself."

Yi Jeong smiled over his drink as they continued bickering. He had never seen his own parents argue about anything unless it was a full-on fight, their words filled with cruelty and their eyes with rage. Ga Eul's parents had a quiet ease with one another, though, that only gave way to fond amusement as they quarreled about the petty little things he supposed married couples would quarrel about after being together for so many years. They teased each other mercilessly, but their gaze spoke more of love than annoyance. There was no real malice here. It kind of reminded him of himself and Ga Eul when they fought over small things like what to eat for dinner. Maybe, in twenty years…

For once, the thought of being with one person for the rest of his life didn't scare him. But it had to be her. Only her. It had to be.

* * *

Dinner had ended, and Ga Eul's mother had sent Yi Jeong away with more extra food than he knew what to do with. Now it was just the two of them walking back to Yi Jeong's car so that Ga Eul could see him off before he headed to Woo Bin's. They stopped right as they reached the passenger side of the car, and Ga Eul reached over and opened the door to the backseat. Before he could ask what she was doing, she had climbed into the car and pulled him in with her, the containers of food in his hand tumbling onto the floorboard.

No sooner had he been pulled inside the car than did Ga Eul pull him into a searing kiss that seemed to last longer than any kiss Yi Jeong had ever had before. When they finally broke apart, Yi Jeong's brain caught up with the fact that he was lying completely on top of Ga Eul in the back seat. He mumbled an apology for smothering her and started to sit up, but she clutched the back of his neck when he tried to move away from her.

"I-I…" she stammered. "I—"

"I love you," he finished for her. Though he couldn't see her expression very clearly since the car light had gone off, he knew her eyes had widened, and a faint blush had crept into her cheeks. He knew she loved him. She'd said it before in her sleep once, and besides that he could read it in her every glance, even though he had very little experience with love. Probably she had never said it directly, out loud, to him because she was scared he wouldn't say it back.

"You…"

He put a finger up to her lips.

"I love you, Ga Eul-yang. I get to say that first since I liked you first." He leaned in and pecked her on the nose and the lips. Then he moved away and allowed them both to sit up on the backseat. The light from the street lamp revealed what a tangled mess Ga Eul's hair had become in just a few short minutes, and he reached over and smoothed her hair out with his hand. He'd seemed to have passed the first parental interview. No need to sink a ship that had much too recently set sail.

Ga Eul gazed at him with a puzzled expression as his fingers swept through her hair.

"What do you mean…you liked me first?"

"Why do you think I liked annoying you so much?" He brushed a few strands behind her ear and readjusted the light pink headband she'd been wearing. "Why do you think…I picked you up that day you were crying?"

"You mean you liked me way back then?"

"I think so. I didn't want to. You weren't a very...easy…person for me to take, but even when you annoyed the hell out of me, I still wanted to see you again." Yi Jeong chuckled. "What will come out of that country bumpkin's mouth today, I wonder?" He finished messing with her hair and sat back against the car door. "She's pretty cute, too, even when she dresses like a nun."

"You told me you like the way I dress."

"I do. But sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who gets to see the real Chu Ga Eul."

"Except when you buy me extremely short dresses for extremely public events."

"Define 'short,' Ga Eul-yang."

"You know, I love you too, but I have to get out of this car soon, or my parents will probably assume I'm not dressed like a nun anymore."

Yi Jeong's face fell.

"I wish you didn't have to stay here tonight. I was hoping I could stay with you for a few days."

"You can always help us paint the guest bedroom tomorrow. You will have ample opportunities to see me then…in shorts," she added with a mischevious grin and raised eyebrows.

"Hmm…what time?"

"10:00 AM." A coy look came over her face. "Then maybe afterwards you could drive me back to my apartment, since I…you know…have so much grading to do. I left all my stuff over there anyway, and I'm sure my parents will want to rest tomorrow night…Plus, the next day we have to get stuff for your apartment, and then we have dinner with Jun Pyo and Jan Di and everyone. So it'd probably be best if we both…you know…went back."

"Chu Ga Eul, are you propositioning me?"

Still grinning, she drew her foot up the side of his leg.

"It can be whatever you think it is, Yi Jeong Sunbae."


	28. Chapter 28

_Kakao message from Woo Bin Song_

Recipient: Madeleine Yi

Message: Hey, hope you had a good flight and landed in France okay. Have a good visit over there with your family. Give me a call when you get settled in, yeah?

_Conversations with Woo Bin Song:_

Woo Bin Song: Hey, hope you had a good flight and landed in France okay. Have a good visit over there with your family. Give me a call when you get settled in, yeah?

Woo Bin Song: Madeleine, how is everything? Are your mom and brother okay?

Woo Bin Song: Ate jap chae today. Thought about the time you and I went to that noodle place. Give me a call when you get a chance.

Woo Bin Song: Seriously, Madeleine, did you get a new phone? You don't seem to be getting any of my messages. It's been a week already.

Woo Bin Song: Just called again. Your voicemail inbox is full. I guess with all the messages from me you haven't listened to yet. Just…give me a call when you get a chance.

Woo Bin Song: Listen, I don't get what's going on here. I had to reach out to my contacts in Paris just to find out you've been home for two weeks doing nothing but shopping. And you do have the same phone. That call you got from Versace about a dress pre-order…that was from one of my men.

Woo Bin Song: All right, all right. So we weren't actually together. But tell me this. Do you ignore all of your so-called friends this way?

Woo Bin Song: Damn it, Madeleine. Answer your phone.

Woo Bin Song: Or at least text me so I know you're okay.

Woo Bin Song: Or text me to say you hate me.

Woo Bin Song: Just say something.

Woo Bin Song: Jun Pyo and Jan Di got engaged today, and Yi Jeong came back early and surprised us all. I don't know why I'm telling you this, but if you were here…if you actually cared at all…I would take you to dinner with all of us on Sunday night. We're going back to our old hangout, and I could introduce you to everyone.

_Delete all messages from Woo Bin Song?_

* * *

Madeleine stared wide-eyed at her bony reflection in the airport's bathroom mirror. The skin around her eyes had taken on the coloring of gray ash. She never could sleep on planes. Abella would tell her she looked like a ghost.

'So pale, so thin. Get some sun. Eat your breakfast. Eat. Eat,' Madeleine could hear the old maid saying, cluck-clucking her tongue at her twelve-year-old ward.

After Madeleine's brother was born, her mother hadn't wanted a second child, and Madeleine always believed she especially hadn't wanted a girl. Rumor had it she'd kept the pregnancy a secret for as long as she could, even from Madeleine's father, who was often gone away on business. When Madeleine was finally born, she'd left the hospital as soon as possible, leaving Madeleine in the care of one of her personal maids, a sixty-something-year-old woman named Abella who raised Madeleine until she'd retired when Madeleine was twelve years old.

When Madeleine was five, she'd wanted a French name like the girls she had playdates with, so Abella had named her Madeleine after Abella's own grandmother. The name stuck with her, and when she turned eighteen, she'd had it legally changed.

Madeleine turned on the water and rinsed her face off one last time before applying her makeup. She hadn't told anyone but her father the date of her arrival back in Seoul, but probably someone would have gotten wind of her return and was waiting expectantly at the arrivals gate for a shot of the foreign heiress.

Maybe Woo Bin would be there, too, wondering why she hadn't returned any of his calls since she'd been gone. She knew he'd been keeping tabs on her. Ordinarily, this would have annoyed her, but she knew Woo Bin meant it as a protective gesture. He wanted to make sure she was okay, to watch over what he thought of as his.

Only she wasn't his. He still didn't get it. She would never be his.

_Shit._ She'd smeared her eyeliner.

'Tut-tut. Too much makeup, _mon petit chou_. How is anyone supposed to see your beautiful face?' Abella would say.

Madeleine swabbed the mess with a Q-tip.

'When I was your age, we played with dolls, not eyeshadow palettes. My own mother only wore lipstick and powder.'

Madeleine blotted her new chateau wine lipstick with a tissue. She stuffed everything back in her purse and carry-on, slid her oversized black sunglasses on, and made her way to the gate.

When she emerged from the security checkpoint, she saw her driver waiting for her, luggage already in tow. Unfortunately, she also saw someone else waiting for her—the one person she'd been trying to avoid.


	29. Chapter 29

_Shit._

_Oh, what a bright idea that was, Chu Ga Eul_.

Yi Jeong would be coming back any minute now, and here she was curled up on the bathroom floor, her bare back against the ice-cold porcelain tub, terrified of what was going to happen when he did.

She didn't know what had gotten into her. When they had first arrived back at her apartment after being with her parents all day, they had been laughing about various articles from Ga Eul's childhood that had been stashed away in her parents' basement. Still talking, they went over to the couch where they started kissing each other as usual, but things heated up pretty quickly, and, for once, Ga Eul didn't feel any need to stop when they got to a certain point.

Maybe it was the fact that he really had come back to her, had told her he loved her, and had basically promised to marry her in front of her parents.

Maybe part of her—just the tiniest part—feared he would get bored with her innocent gestures and inhibitions after a while. If he could be a good guy for her, she could try—try—to be a bad girl for him.

Maybe another part of her simply got too caught up in the moment.

Yi Jeong had stopped them, to both her chagrin and relief, right when she was nearly stripped down to her underwear.

He didn't have any condoms on him, and once she confirmed his suspicion that she wasn't on any sort of birth control, he left to make a run to the nearby convenient store.

After Yi Jeong left and Ga Eul had calmed down enough to think straight, she had rummaged through her drawer for the sexiest underwear she could find in her possession, being sort of embarrassed at the plain cotton panties and white t-shirt bra she had on. Finally, she'd found the expensive black lace push-up bra and panties set Jae Kyung had bought for her on the last shopping trip they took. She hadn't worn them yet, always finding them too sexy to be worn with her everyday clothes.

To be honest, she simply found them too sexy to be worn by her.

A knock on the door interrupted Ga Eul's musings, and she hugged her knees to her chest even tighter.

_Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, no._

"Ga Eul-yang, I'm back."

Despite herself, she lifted her head up at the sound of his voice, and her arms relaxed a bit.

"Oh…Okay!" she called out. "I'll be right there!"

Ga Eul took a deep breath.

She could do this. Of course she could. People did this all the time. She was an adult. She had a job. She had her own apartment. She was twenty-three, for god's sake. Besides, she liked it when he touched her...and kissed her and…

"Ga Eul-yang?"

His voice always made her feel calm. It always made her feel calm.

But right now, it only made her feel like crying.

She couldn't move.

This was a bad idea. Everything was happening too fast. It was too soon, much too soon.

If her stomach didn't stop churning, she just knew she was going to throw up all of her dinner.

"Ga Eul-yang, are you okay?...Are you…do you need me to get you anything?"

"A-aniyo. I'm fine, Sunbae. Just a minute."

"Okay."

Ga Eul stood up on shaking legs. She wished she felt like one of those alluring, goddess-like supermodels in the lingerie commercials—more like the women Yi Jeong used to date, the ones who no doubt had plentiful experience with this sort of thing–but she only felt like a scared little kid.

"Ga Eul-yang."

The lock on the door swiveled back and forth.

"Ga Eul-yang, let me in, please. I just want to talk to you."

He wanted to talk to her.

Talk to her.

_Talk_ to her.

She tried to remember what those words meant.

"I got your favorite chocolate bar, but I'm going to eat it myself if you don't come out."

* * *

Abruptly, the door swung open, and Ga Eul stumbled into him, her eyes red and her face stained with mascara. Sliding her arms underneath his jacket, she hugged him tightly and buried her face in his chest.

"I'm sorry, Yi Jeong Sunbae," she mumbled and promptly burst into tears. His arms went around her automatically as he tried not to focus on what she wearing—or rather, not wearing—at the moment.

"What?" he asked, clutching her to him.

"I'm…really…sorry…Sunbae," she choked out between sobs. "I-I-I can't."

It took a moment for him to realize what she was going on about, but when he did, he felt like an idiot. In his quite literal excitement, he'd simply taken her 'yes' at face value, not bothering to question her further since she wasn't stopping him. In the past, sex would have been something he just expected from the girls he went out with—not in a cruel, demanding way but in the way he expected everything that came to him so easily. Girls—women—always threw themselves at him, and even those who didn't he could easily seduce. He had no doubt, in fact, that Ga Eul loved him so much he could have charmed her into doing any number of things at this point in their relationship—even now, with the right amount of coaxing and reassurance, he could get what he wanted—but he always held back, afraid she would regret it afterward, and he never wanted her to regret being with him. He wanted her to trust him more than anything. He wanted her to come to him.

She'd stopped crying so much now, only letting out occasional coughs and sniffles, but she'd started shivering—from nerves or from cold, he couldn't tell.

"Shhh." He stroked her back and cradled the back of her head. "Did I tell you we had to do anything?"

"Um…no…but…I…I…"

"Stop crying. You're making _me_ scared."

Ga Eul kept her face buried in his shirt, but she had stopped shaking so much.

"I'm sorry," she repeated.

"Sorry for what? Getting mascara all over my shirt? I think it'll dry clean. Why don't we go see Jan Di's parents tomorrow and ask them?"

Ga Eul sniffed.

"You know, that bathroom is really tiny too. It's a good thing you're not wearing more clothes, or you wouldn't have been able to fit in there."

That last remark finally made Ga Eul laugh, and he felt her relax a little more.

"You know," he continued as he played with her hair, "it's okay to be scared. I was scared my first time too."

"Really?" Ga Eul tried to imagine Yi Jeong scared around a girl for any reason and came up with nothing. "But…why?"

Yi Jeong chuckled at the disbelief in her voice.

"I was scared I wouldn't do it right and embarrass myself. The girl was two years older than me."

"Oh…How old were you then?"

"Thirteen."

Thirteen. She was twenty-three, and with him being two years older than her, he already had a twelve-year head-start on experience.

"But if you think about it, I haven't done it with anyone in four years. Doing it with you would be like starting over, almost like a first time."

Ga Eul-yang looked up, and he smiled kindly at her and kissed her forehead.

"Whenever you're ready, okay?"

"Okay, Sunbae," she whispered.

"By the way, you look sexy."

"Ah." She glanced down at her ensemble. "This was Jae Kyung Unnie's idea."

"That's not what I meant. I meant _you_ are sexy. You looked pretty in what you were wearing earlier, too."

"Oh…thank you."

A long silence ensued, and he held her contentedly until his gaze caught on something odd.

"Hmm…34B."

"What?"

"That's your size, isn't it?"

"What?...W-what?!" Ga Eul pulled away from him. "How do you know that?!"

"Experience."

"Y-yah, stay over there."

"I just wanna show you something."

"Y-you don't have to show me anything, Sunbae. I believe you."

"Ga Eul-yang," he continued, pressing her up against the wall next to the bathroom door.

"W-what are you doing?"

Leaning over, he whispered in her ear, "Ga Eul-yang…you should really take time to think about what you're wearing…before you put it on."

* * *

"Ga Eul-yang." His breath on her ear made her shiver. "You should really take time to think about what you're wearing"—he ran his fingers under her bra strap—"before you put it on." The fingers on his other hand slid across her left bra cup and over the material stretching around her side and then to her back.

She supposed she have been protesting whatever he was about to do, but the huskiness in his voice had a lulling effect on her, and she closed her eyes instead. Sometimes she thought she could do anything listening to his voice.

His lips brushed her ear.

"I promise, I have lots of experience with…"

His fingers brushed against the skin around her bra clasp.

_Snap!_

* * *

_Snap!_

"…reading tags." He smirked and held up the offending tag, still marked with the MSRP from the department store and the size, so she could see it.

Her eyes opened slowly, and she stared at him at first like she was still in some sort of trance, and it was so damn sexy he thought if she didn't say something soon or at least break the ridiculously intense eye contact, he would only end up pinning her to the wall for real and taking off more than the price tag.

But then her gaze flitted to the tag in his hand, and her expression quickly transitioned from surprise to indignation to fury, and she slapped him across the arm.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Before he knew it, she had backed him all the way into the center of the room.

"Yah, quit hitting me!" he protested, raising his hands in surrender as she continued her assault. "That actually hurts."

"Good!"

She picked up a throw pillow and began hitting him with that as well.

"Someone didn't punish you enough when you were younger!"

Catching her by her wrist, Yi Jeong swung her around so that he could grab her from behind and throw her onto the couch.

"Is that what you're going to do now, Ga Eul-yang?" He slid his belt off and tossed it onto the table. "Punish me?"

* * *

Before she could react, he was on top of her, pinning her against the cushions with his body. Only his face hovered above her, just inches from her own.

She struggled against him, but he was so much stronger than her, it was really no use.

"Ga Eul-yang, keep it down," Yi Jeong admonished softly when she finally stopped moving. "The neighbors are going to think we're doing something weird." He pecked her nose.

"Sunbae, _we_ aren't doing anything. _You_ are the perverted one here."

"Ah, but you're the one not wearing clothes." He rubbed his nose against hers.

"If you would get off of me"—Ga Eul tried to breathe normally—"I could put some on."

"You're not convincing me to get off of you that way." Yi Jeong chuckled and pressed his lips to hers. "Nice try though."

"Then what?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean what do you want?"

There was a long pause. Then Yi Jeong lifted himself off of her and got up from the couch.

"I keep telling you that mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble." He pulled his dress shirt off and tossed it at Ga Eul. "You can put that on. I'll be right back."

* * *

When he came out of the bathroom, dressed simply in his pajama shorts, Ga Eul had positioned herself sitting up on her bed, her slender legs protruding out from the bottom of his shirt, which only succeeded in covering up her thighs. She had rolled up his sleeves and was now eating the chocolate bar he had left on the table.

What did he want?

Right now, he wanted one thing he couldn't have, and he wanted it very, very badly.

He wasn't sure that he wasn't being punished—maybe by some higher being for all the hearts he'd broken in the past and for every dirty thought he'd ever had.

"Want some, Sunbae?" Ga Eul's voice called him back to the present, back to her.

"What?"

"I asked you if you wanted some." She held out half of the candy bar to him. "It's really the best one. I can't believe you never ate these when you were younger." She took another bite out of her half. "At least have a bite. It's really good." She smiled encouragingly—and far too innocently—at him, and rather thoughtlessly he walked over and took the half she held out to him. Sitting up straighter, she curled her legs underneath herself so that he had room to sit down.

He took a bite out of the chocolate. It was sweet, but he'd tasted better. Name anything in Ga Eul's apartment, and he'd had better. Anything, that is, except for her.

"See? Isn't it good?" Grinning at him, she took another bite.

An idea struck him, something he'd never tried before and didn't know that he could do, but he didn't waste time thinking about it. Catching her mouth before she started chewing, he slipped his tongue inside and maneuvered the chocolate around as he kissed her until he finally slid it into his own mouth and pulled away.

"You're right," he said, chewing the chocolate himself. "This is the best chocolate I've ever had."

Ga Eul stared at him, her mouth still slightly parted.

"Y-yah…that was mine."

Yi Jeong finished chewing and swallowed.

"You're right. That wasn't fair. I'll tell you what. You can have a piece of mine." He broke off another piece and placed it inside his mouth directly on his tongue.

Ga Eul gave a nervous laugh.

"Sunbae, I can't do that."

"Sure you can," Yi Jeong prodded, his voice slightly muffled. "I'll help you."

"Um." Ga Eul fiddled with the edge of his shirt, inadvertently revealing part of her underwear. Yi Jeong tried to focus only on her face when she looked back up with a determined expression. "Okay…Okay, I'll try."

When he bent over this time, she met him halfway, and he reveled in the sensation of her tongue rubbing against his and the pull of her mouth when she finally broke away, the bite of chocolate hers.

"Pretty good."

"For a country bumpkin, you mean?" Ga Eul winked at him. She swallowed the chocolate down and broke off another piece, this one even smaller. "Want another one?" She made as if to hand it to him but snatched it away at the last second and popped it into her mouth.

"I don't know. The neighbors would definitely think we're doing weird things if they could see us now. But if you insist."

Ga Eul giggled, and he moved in towards her again.

"Ga Eul-yang," he said just as he reached her mouth, "this is going to be a long night."


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is at tiny bit of smut at the beginning of this chapter; it's not really graphic, but you can infer what's happening. So if you want to skip the beginning of this chapter (up to the first break), feel free.

_Chu Ga Eul did not do things like this._

Yi Jeong's shirt had long since been discarded, along with her bra, on the floor somewhere, and now she felt his mouth on her and his teeth as they pulled her panties down…down…down…

_Chu Ga Eul did not do things like this._

He had asked her if she wanted a massage—they had been working so hard all day—and she had to admit it would be nice. Her shoulders had been bothering her.

_Oh god, she never did things like this._

He told she'd have to take that off then—his shirt, he meant—and wouldn't she like to take her bra off too? It looked awfully tight. He flipped her over and told her to rest her chest and her head on some pillows while he stroked her back.

_W-what was he doing? She never…she never…_

It started out innocently enough, she supposed. He kneaded her shoulders and her upper back like he said he would and kissed her neck and told her how pretty she was.

_Oh god, this had to be sin._

Then he trailed his hands down her back, down her hips, down her legs, tracing the outline of her body like she was a well-designed vase, and followed these gentle touches with light kisses on every part of her that wasn't pressed against the sheets.

_Mmmm…Sunbae…_

At one point, she'd gotten so used to his caresses that, lulled by the gentle rain beating against the window, she started to fall asleep, but suddenly she felt his lips against her ear, and he whispered for her to turn over.

_More…She wanted more. She needed…harder…harder…oh…_

Soon, she felt his mouth all over her chest and her stomach, his kisses growing sloppier and hungrier as he went further down, lingering on her breasts. Finally, he slid his hands up her thighs and fingered her panties, barely brushing the skin underneath, and the strange longing that had been welling up within her became a slow burn.

_Ah…ah…ah…ah…more…_

His mouth had always felt warm and tender, but now it felt firm and desperate, and her own body swelled to match his intensity. She clutched his hair in her fists. He built her up slowly, slowly, slowly…until all at once she came crashing down inside him, shuddering with the effort. When she finished, he kissed her hard on the mouth, and in half-awareness she kissed him back, the foreign taste lingering there only fueling her desire to draw him closer.

_Chu. Ga. Eul. Did. Not. Do. Things. Like. This._

* * *

It was 3:00 A.M., and a steady, comforting drizzle had begun beating against Ga Eul's apartment window. Yi Jeong had settled down with his head on her chest-oddly, one of his favorite positions to sleep in-nuzzling her breast while she played with his hair. Or what was left of it since he had cut it short.

They hadn't said much of anything after their earlier encounter—Ga Eul was still trying to process it—but they hadn't gone to sleep either. Sometimes she thought Yi Jeong was falling asleep, but then he would shift his head and kiss her and ask if she was okay for the tenth time.

"I'm okay, Sunbae." She could feel her face flush even though he wasn't looking at her. "I…I liked it," she answered him.

"Good." He kissed her again. "I'm glad."

"But Sunbae," she whispered. "You tricked me."

"I did not trick you," he mumbled. "You know, people pay good money for those types of massages."

Actually, she did not _know_ anything about it, but she had no doubt he did. Honestly, she felt like such a child compared to him sometimes.

Wanting to change the subject, she continued, "Is this part of the massage too? The part where the masseuse smothers the client?"

"If you're uncomfortable—" Yi Jeong started to sit up.

"Ani, I'm kidding." She grabbed his shoulder. "Lay back down."

His eyes met hers for a moment, and in a much quieter voice, she admitted, "I like holding you."

Not to mention she felt less self-conscious this way since she knew with his head laid down that way, he couldn't see her expression. Nor could he gaze curiously down at her entire body like he had earlier. She'd forgotten her embarrassment while he'd been kissing her, but now that her brain had begun functioning again, she felt rather exposed in the dim glare of her bedside lamp.

She pulled up the covers a bit more beyond her waist, and Yi Jeong wrapped himself around her more tightly as she pressed his face harder against her chest.

"Mm, you're sexy when you try to boss me around."

"Don't worry. I'll be sure to boss you around all the time in the future," she retorted.

"Good. I'll probably need your help with my next exhibition."

"Oh? Why?"

"Well, I was thinking about doing a theme on the human body. You can be my case study, Seongsaengnim." He trailed his fingers down the underside of her forearm. "I always wanted to seduce a teacher."

Ga Eul grabbed his hand and laced their fingers together to stop his assault.

"What? Why...Why are you telling me _that_?"

"It was one of my biggest fantasies in high school. But you know, none of my teachers were ever as good-looking as you. And they were mostly male. And old. Don't you think it's nice that I finally got my wish?"

"I think you should be reprimanded for bad behavior."

"Ga Eul-yang, I'm a bad guy, remember? I'm supposed to do bad things." Freeing his hand, Yi Jeong traced his fingers lazily over her right breast and kissed her again, harder this time.

"Besides, this is way better than my fantasies."

Ga Eul stayed quiet for a moment, some foreign yet overpowering emotion welling up within her. When she spoke again, she could barely hear herself.

"I like doing bad things with you, Sunbae."

She brushed her fingers up against his lips, and he took them in his mouth one at a time.

She cleared her throat.

"You're only allowed to do bad things with me, though."

She allowed him one final suck on her pinky finger, then pulled it out and caressed his cheek.

"Yes, Seongsaengnim," he answered, his voice sounding light and heavy at the same time.

Ga Eul remembered something and smiled. Cupping his face in her hand, she squeezed it.

"Jeongie."

"What?...Jeongie?"

She giggled.

"I'm your teacher. It'd be weird if I called you 'Sunbae.'"

"Maybe but…nobody's called me that since I was in kindergarten."

"I know. Woo Bin told me. I'm a kindergarten teacher, remember?"

"I'm going to kill Woo Bin when I see him again."

Ga Eul giggled more and mussed up his hair.

"Jeongie. I missed you Jeongie."

"You really are going to miss me if you don't cut it out."

"But Jeongie." She leaned down as far as she could. "You can be my bad boy, Jeongie," she whispered.

"Oh god, Ga Eul-yang." Yi Jeong squirmed a bit. "I swear, you're killing me."

Ga Eul laughed.

Relaxing again, he continued, "Okay, fine…Call me whatever you want."

"Thank you."

"As long as you're dressed like this, you can call me whatever you want."

"So Yi Jeong...You deserve a timeout."

"I knew you only wanted me for my body."

"What?"

"But if you insist, I'll stand in that corner over there, and you can admire me from the comfort of your bed."

"Y-yah…"

"I might even put on a show. Would you like to record this so you can watch it later?"

"Sunbae!"

"That doesn't sound like a 'no.'"

"Pabo. Don't you think we ought to get some sleep?"

"Ah, so this is the point in the evening where we graduate to 'Pabo.' You know I'm practically an insomniac. And you're stuck in this bed with me, which means you're not going to sleep either."

"I'm going to move to the couch."

"No, you're not. Your student is going to cry if you do that. Bad Seongsaengnim."

"Oh, really now..."

"You started it. Country girl."

"Casanova."

"But Ga Eul-yang...you know you like it."


	31. Chapter 31

Yi Jeong had hated mornings ever since he could remember. He hated his mother's fits when his father came home in the early hours of dawn, the scent of alcohol mixed with another woman's perfume lingering on him. He hated the empty silence that enveloped him once his previous night's bed partners had gone, and he woke up to another lipstick-stained number scrawled on ripped hotel paper and a throbbing headache. He hated being left alone with his thoughts.

He hated being alone, but he never wanted anyone to stay.

Not until Ga Eul. In Sweden, he'd open his eyes to see her already sitting up in bed, an old shirt of his hanging loosely around her petite figure, her hair pulled into a messy bun and her over-sized black glasses sliding down her face as she scrolled through messages on her phone. When she caught him looking at her, she'd blush and act shy at first, but then she'd reach over and mess up his hair, and when he said 'good morning,' she'd smile at him like he'd just done something wonderful, like he'd just done the most wonderful thing in the whole damn world, and he'd want to snuggle up into her sweetness and stay there forever.

_Ga Eul-yang, what are you doing to me?_

At present, Yi Jeong pressed his cheek further into the soft and comforting warmth of her skin.

He wondered if waking up to her would always feel like this—if he would get the same heady rush he felt the first time he almost kissed her, if he would feel clean and whole again when she opened her eyes and smiled at him. His face was resting on her bare chest, and it took him a moment to remember how they'd gotten that way. He could taste her sweetness still, could breathe her in as he nudged against her…

_Shit._ He must have fallen asleep.

Which meant he had been lying almost completely on top of Ga Eul most of the night.

He had the covers pulled up to his neck—her doing, probably—but her shoulders were just as bare as he'd left them.

Abruptly, he sat up.

Why hadn't she pushed him off of her? Wasn't she cold?

Her eyes fluttered open as he lifted himself off of her and started gathering the covers around her.

"Yah, why didn't you tell me to get off of you?"

"Huh?" She eyed him sleepily, a confused expression on her face.

"You're going to catch a cold."

Realization seemed to dawn on her, and she ducked under the covers, pulling them tight around herself.

"Ga Eul-yang, what are you doing?"

In answer, she drew the covers tighter and covered even her head.

Yi Jeong laughed at her shyness.

"Are we playing 'Hide and Seek' now? I think those kids are wearing off on you too much, but if you insist."

He tugged at the corner of her blanket.

"I wonder what's under here."

The blanket got pulled out from under his hand, and he chuckled.

"You do know I've already seen everything there is to see, don't you?"

"That's not it," Ga Eul replied, her voice muffled by the covers. "I…I'm cold."

"I'm cold too. Can't I get under there with you?"

"Aniyo." Ga Eul poked her head out. "Would you please hand me hand me my clothes?"

"What clothes? You were wearing my shirt last night, remember?"

Ga Eul's cheeks turned a nice rosy shade, and she wouldn't look at him.

"Wouldn't you like to take a shower?" Yi Jeong prodded, nudging her leg. "I'm guessing you have clean clothes in your closet."

Her closet was located on the side of the bed where Yi Jeong currently sat, and he grinned smugly at her, thoroughly aware of this fact.

"Yi Jeong Sunbae, wouldn't you like to take _your_ shower? Guests first."

"Aniyo. I'm a gentleman. Ladies first."

"If you were a gentleman, you would go in the other room so I could get dressed."

"I'm also a scoundrel. That's what a Casanova is-part gentleman, part scoundrel."

"That's a convenient excuse. Well, can't you be the gentleman part right now? It's nine o'clock in the morning."

"I'm having too much fun for that."

Yi Jeong chuckled as Ga Eul let out a frustrated sigh.

"But I'm tired," she tried. "You go ahead."

"Well, in that case...I guess we can just stay here." With one forceful tug, he snatched the covers out from under her and drew them aside so he could slide back under them. Ga Eul flattened herself and tucked her arms in, but Yi Jeong grabbed her and tickled her until she rolled over and almost fell off of the bed.

"Hey, don't go that way!" He pulled her back from the edge and into himself.

Ga Eul squirmed a bit in his arms but finally settled down, huffing in defeat, with her chin propped up on his chest, so close he could bend down and kiss her if he wanted to.

"Ga Eul-yang, don't worry." Yi Jeong wrapped his arms around her to hold her in place. "I can be a good guy when I want to."

"But you don't want to right now."

She was right. He didn't want to. He wanted to make love to her until she forgot every name she'd ever known but his. Pressed up against him like this, her body felt unbelievably warm and tantalizing. She didn't have a model's figure, but she had curves in all the right places without being too skinny, and everything about Ga Eul was real. No implants, no enhancements. Just soft and supple skin. She had put her panties back on sometime during the night, but it would only take a him a few seconds to remove them and-

"Sunbae."

He focused back in on Ga Eul's face-on the hard look she was giving him that said she knew exactly where his mind had headed.

"What?" Yi Jeong never, ever blushed, but he could feel one coming on, like he was a kid with his hand caught in a cookie jar.

So terribly close to making off with his treat.

"Why do you always assume you know everything that goes on in my mind?" he asked, glaring back at her to distract himself.

"Because I do," Ga Eul answered calmly. "Because I know you."

She looked so sure of herself. Confidence suited her. Her adorable shyness had originally drawn him to her, but this bold version of Ga Eul would be the death of him.

_Damn._ He was losing his mind.

Yi Jeong sighed.

"Fine. Seongsaengnim, do you want breakfast?"

"Breakfast? You know how to cook breakfast?"

Ga Eul lifted her eyebrows.

"No," he answered. "But there's a bakery on the corner. I noticed it when I went to the convenient store last night. I can go get us something." He rubbed her back with his knuckles, which prompted her to lay her head back down. "And then we can do whatever you want."

Ga Eul didn't say anything for a moment, then mumbled, "Do we have to go anywhere today?"

As if suddenly aware that she had spoken out loud, she continued, "I mean, I know we have dinner later, and…um…oh, and you need to get stuff for your apartment. It's okay. We can go out. Maybe we should—"

Yi Jeong pulled her back from where she had started struggling out of his grasp.

"Ga Eul-yang, if you want to stay in bed with me all day, you can just say that. I'm not going to say no."

From the way Ga Eul curled into herself and held onto him tighter, he knew she was blushing.

"I do need to use the bathroom, though, and then I will go get us something to eat." He kissed the top of her head. "And then we can do whatever you want within the confines of this mattress."

"Y-yah…it sounds wrong…when you say it like that," she protested as he slid away from her and sat up.

"You know, you're the naked party here, not me," he said, getting up and heading toward the bathroom.

"Who's fault is that?!...An-anyway, what does that have to do with anything?"

"I'm just saying you shouldn't suggest things like that in your state unless you're prepared to deal with the consequences."

"Don't worry, Sunbae. By the time you get back from the bakery, I will be dressed like a nun again."

* * *

By the time Yi Jeong returned from the bakery with two coffees and a few pastries, Ga Eul was fast asleep beneath her covers, her shoulders-now covered by a t-shirt-peeking out from the top of her blanket and her hair spread askew across her pillow. Sitting down quietly on the edge of the bed, Yi Jeong brushed her hair out of her face and pulled her covers up to her neck.

He would have liked to slip back under the covers next to her, but, given how small her bed was, he knew that would only wake her up.

Instead, out of his small suitcase he pulled a few documents that he needed to review before assuming his impending position at the museum and sat down on Ga Eul's old but comfortable couch with them. Sipping his coffee, he scanned a list of upcoming events.

His own exhibition.

The acquisition of some recently discovered ancient artifacts.

Some new and upcoming talents.

He flipped the page over. His father had sent him some information about the museum's finances: a spreadsheet of the proposal for next year's budget, allocations to charities, details of all the major stockholders...

* * *

Peeking at Yi Jeong from her position on the bed, Ga Eul wondered if this was what it would be like to wake up to him every day-to kiss him good morning and make coffee for him while he reviewed his schedule for the day. He looked so serious in his suit-yes, he'd taken a shower _and_ put on a suit to walk across the street and back-and his studious frown as his eyes wandered over the papers in his hand only made him that much more handsome.

"You should have woke up sooner," he said without glancing at her.

_Crap._ He'd caught her staring.

"Your coffee's cold," he continued. "You're going to have to warm it back up. I saved two pastries for you, though."

Sitting up and propping some pillows behind her, Ga Eul asked, "What are you doing?"

"Hmm?...Oh, this?" Yi Jeong collected the papers back up and set them in a neat stack on the table. "Just some stuff I need to review."

"For your job?"

"Yeah. For my job."

Ga Eul nodded and let her eyes drift down to her sheets where she picked at a loose thread on the hem.

"Ga Eul-yang?"

Yi Jeong's voice sounded quite close all of a sudden, and when she looked up, he was standing beside the bed.

"Yes?"

"I don't want you to think I'm…" Yi Jeong seemed to be struggling with the right words to say. He sat down next to her on the bed and took one of her hands.

"I don't want you to think I'm ignoring you," he began again. "But there's a lot of things that are going to be happening now that I'm back. I might not get to see you as much as I'd like to, and when I do, we'll probably be surrounded by a bunch of other people."

Ga Eul nodded and gave him a small smile.

"It's okay, Sunbae. You're a very important person. And I already knew you'd be busy taking over your responsibilities at the museum and getting ready for your exhibition." She squeezed his hand. "Don't worry. I'll be busy too. Why don't you try teaching thirty six-year-olds every day and see what it does to you? And once Jun Pyo starts planning the wedding, I don't think Jan Di's going to leave me alone."

Seeing Yi Jeong crack a smile, she continued, "Besides, you'll still have to do pottery. Mind if I join you? I think I've gotten much better even since the last piece I sent you."

"Yes, I think I'd like that…Actually, I was wondering something else, too."

"Hmm?"

"Would you…like to live with me?"

Yi Jeong's dark eyes had turned serious, and she stared at him in surprise. Her lips parted halfway, but nothing came out. She blinked.

"If you're uncomfortable with that, it's okay. But I thought it would be a good way for us to see each other, you know, at the end of the day. You'd have your own room and bathroom and everything. The apartment's pretty big. You wouldn't have to pay rent. Just promise you'll cook for me every once in a while…You don't have to give me an answer now. Just think about it."

Ga Eul parted her lips again. Live with her? Yi Jeong Sunbae wanted to _live_ with her? He wanted to see her _every day_? She felt herself grow warm again, though this time not from embarrassment.

"Um…I'd like that," she said softly.

Yi Jeong's face brightened.

"Really? You want to?"

"I'd like that," she continued, "but I…I don't know that I can."

"Why not?"

"Well…it's just that…my parents are kind of old-fashioned. Plus, the school where I work at…they're very particular about certain things. If they found out I lived with you, and I'm not married…" Ga Eul trailed off and bit her lip.

Yi Jeong was disappointed, she could tell, but, to his credit, he didn't push her on it.

"All right. How about this then? You keep your apartment here, but you can come over to my place whenever you like and stay as long as you like. I'll give you the extra key." Yi Jeong slid in closer to her and started gradually leaning in toward her. "And you can sleep in the guest bedroom, or you can sleep in my room, wherever you're more comfortable, as long as I get to sleep with you."

Ga Eul mumbled an "okay" right before his mouth crashed onto hers, and she pulled him closer, and he climbed onto the bed completely-dress pants and all-and positioned himself on top of her, still kissing her. She could hear one of their phones ring in the background-Yi Jeong's, she was certain-but he didn't try to break away, and, well, if he didn't care, she certainly didn't...


	32. Chapter 32

She was gone.

Ji Hoo had always known this day would come. It had been looming in the back of his mind constantly for the past four years, but now it was really happening. Everything was happening so fast he could scarcely process it. One moment, he was vowing to stay in school for another year and help Jan Di finish her courses, to be the white knight he had always been for her. The next moment, Jun Pyo was sweeping Jan Di away from him again in that grandiose fashion he had, as arrogant and demanding as ever, but Ji Hoo hoped Jan Di was happy with her choice. He hoped she would be happy with Jun Pyo. He would have hoped for her to be happy anywhere, even if she was on the far side of the world, as far from him in time and space as she seemed now in spirit, seated on the other side of the table beside Jun Pyo at the restaurant Jun Pyo had rented out especially for their engagement celebration.

With her dark hair curled and styled to frame her face and her dangling rhinestone earrings catching the light and making her eyes sparkle, she looked beautiful tonight, even more beautiful than she had on the night of her high school graduation ball. What he wouldn't give to be there now, dancing with her one last time.

She was the one, the one love of his life, and it hurt to smile at her like he was doing just now and nod his affirmation to an unheard something Jun Pyo had said about the wedding preparations.

It hurt, but it was a tolerable kind of pain as long as he knew she was happy, as long as he loved her a little bit more than he loved himself.

* * *

Damn idiot, that's what he was, Woo Bin thought as he took another strong gulp of the bitter wine sitting in front of him.

He needed something stronger.

She'd walked right past him.

He'd called out to her in the airport, and she'd walked right past him to her driver without so much as a glance or nod in his direction.

She'd probably gone back to some old flame she had waiting for her in Paris. A woman like her couldn't be without admirers. Or maybe, like she'd hinted at once before on a night when he didn't want to listen, she had already been matched up with a successful, legitimate businessman in her father's circle.

This was supposed to be a happy occasion, Woo Bin knew. He had always been the life of the party, never one to sit in the corner of the room and sulk over some transient female companion. He had always been closer to Yi Jeong and even Jun Pyo than he was to Ji Hoo, but tonight he felt a kinship with the somber white knight sitting beside him, both of them nursing drinks and feigning enthusiasm while the other half of the F2 looked like they were acting out a scene from some ridiculous rom-com. Jun Pyo had always been like that with Jan Di, but Yi Jeong had gradually devolved since he and Ga Eul had officially gotten together, and tonight was the worst he'd ever seen him. He'd hardly taken his eyes—or his hands—off of Ga Eul the entire evening, and every time he looked at her, she blushed.

Happy as Woo Bin was for the four of them, the whole display was making him sick.

He could just imagine some bastard's rough hands traveling over her slender body and undoing the ties on her dress. A voice thick only with lust calling her name.

Madeleine.

Usually the name rolled off his tongue, but tonight it stuck in the back of his throat like a cluster of marbles, and he wondered if he breathed the wrong way, if the marbles would dislodge and roll backward and choke the life out of him.

It was an absurd concept.

But so was she. He'd never met anyone so hard and yet so...

Sometimes he thought he'd seen a genuine smile. He thought...maybe...her laughter with him didn't have that brittle edge to it that he always heard when she was with others.

Maybe he'd thought so much about it that he'd ended up fooling himself.

Shit. Ga Eul had noticed how quiet he was being. She always noticed things like that, and he was sure it was her highly observant nature that had enabled her to get through to Yi Jeong. He would always be grateful to her for helping his best friend-more like his brother-but couldn't she leave him the hell alone?

No, I'm fine, Ga Eul. Just tired, he placated.

She wasn't buying it. He could tell from the look in her eyes that she was going to have a talk with Yi Jeong when they got back to...wherever they were staying. Somehow he highly doubted Yi Jeong would last long in her tiny apartment.

As for himself, he fully intended to wait out dessert and then get the hell out of this place.

* * *

Why did he have to love her so much?

He loved how gracefully she moved in the water when she used to swim before her accident.

He loved how cute she looked when her nose turned red from the cold or from being sick.

He loved taking care of her, bringing her medicine and lending her his coat.

He loved the way her eyes lit up when she saw him waiting for her after class and her emphatic gestures when he noticed her waiting for him.

He loved watching her move around his grandfather's clinic, and now everything there reminded him of her.

He loved her so much he would do it all over again, even knowing the ending, even knowing that she wouldn't choose him.

He loved her so much that he loved her anyway…anyway…always…

Jun Pyo had worked himself up into a frenzy about the reception venue, and Jan Di was already arguing with him over the size of the guest list. Yi Jeong and Ga Eul were snickering and exchanging looks over their creme brulee, but Woo Bin seemed spaced out. Normally, Ji Hoo wouldn't have noticed this since he was always the one lost in the never-ending chasm of his thoughts, but Jun Pyo was talking directly to all of the guys now, waxing not-so-eloquently on the duties of his three best men, and Ji Hoo could see his irritation building at Woo Bin's obvious lack of attention to the matter at hand.

* * *

Madeleine hated red wine. Woo Bin had remembered that halfway through his first glass, and after that he hadn't been sure if he was drinking to get drunk or out of some irrational contempt for her alcoholic preferences.

She'd hated this restaurant too, he remembered, because, as she said, it wasn't "real" French food.

The bottle at the table was empty now, and although he sorely wanted to ask the waiter for another one, he didn't want to end up doing or saying something he'd regret, so instead he'd taken to eating his creme brulee slowly, trying to remember what she'd mentioned, in passing, about a maid she grew up with who made the best creme brulee in the world, better than any restaurant in France.

Ella?

Bella?

Ab-

"Woo Bin Sunbae!"

Hmm?

Woo Bin glanced up at Jan Di, who waved frantically at him.

"Yes?"

"Tell him he doesn't get to see me in my wedding dress until the wedding day."

By _him_ , he supposed she meant Jun Pyo.

"Sorry bro, that's the rules," Woo Bin agreed convivially.

"But you are throwing my bachelor party, right?"

He wasn't sure about the correlation between Jan Di's wedding dress and Jun Pyo's bachelor party, but if there was one thing he was good at, it was throwing a party.

"Bro, I got you," he said in English and lifted his glass before realizing yet again that there was nothing in it.

"Waiter!" Jun Pyo's voice boomed out over the empty restaurant. "Get us some more wine." Turning back to the group, he continued, "I know what we should do. Truth or Dare. I'll start."

"Aniyo," Woo Bin protested, glancing over in surprise when he realized that Yi Jeong and Ga Eul had said the same thing.

"Yah, what's the matter with all of you? Ji Hoo, don't you-"

"Sorry, I've actually got to head out. I have to open up the clinic early tomorrow."

"I'll come help you," Jan Di offered.

"You're spending the day with me, remember?" Jun Pyo countered.

"But you're busy in the morning any-"

"Jan Di, it's okay," Ji Hoo interrupted. He bowed to the table. "I'll be leaving first. Congratulations again."

An awkward silence descended as the five of them stared at Ji Hoo's retreating back.

Standing up and pushing his own chair back, Woo Bin excused himself as well.

He followed Ji Hoo downstairs, catching up with him as they reached their respective cars. Just as he opened his car door and was about to get in, Ji Hoo spoke up, much to his surprise.

"Maybe she wasn't meant for you."

Woo Bin froze, his hand resting on the top of the car.

Did Ji Hoo know about Madeleine?

He looked over at Ji Hoo, who was staring out across the street, across the tops of the buildings, across the fog glowing in the lamplight, across the wail of sirens and the laughter of drunks and beneath it all the faint hush of a city asleep, like the darkness might give him the answer.

Woo Bin wasn't sure if Ji Hoo did know something about Madeleine or if he was simply referring to himself in the third person. It was always hard to tell with that guy.

And, shit, he didn't have answers. Who knew who was meant to be and not meant to be?

It was bullshit. The mergers. The acquisitions. The assets. The arrangements.

There were plenty of people who _meant_ for other people to be together in their world. What was the difference between their decisions and the cosmic whim of some distant god or the chaotic results of the winds of fate, blowing people about every which way.

Meant to be.

It was bullshit. All of it.

Maybe people ought to make up their own damn mind for once.

"Maybe," Woo Bin replied, "she just chose a different path."


	33. Chapter 33

" _Please."_

" _No."_

" _But it's my birthday. Come on. You said I can have anything I want."_

" _This isn't what I meant."_

" _But it's what I want. You didn't give me parameters."_

" _I said no dates."_

" _This isn't a date. We are two friends—"_

" _Acquaintances."_

" _Sorry…we are two unfriends on a road trip."_

" _A road trip? Then let's get back on the road." Madeleine tapped the steering wheel. "I'll even be nice and let you drive again. You can drive as far away from here as you want."_

" _Not until you get out of the car and take a walk with me."_

" _No thanks, I'm fine."_

" _Madeleine."_

_Crossing her arms, Madeleine kept her eyes stubbornly trained on a faint speck on the windshield of Woo Bin's car._

" _Madeleine, you can't be scared forever."_

_She dug her freshly manicured nails into her bare arms._

" _I'm not…scared…I just don't like the beach."_

" _They're not going to hurt you, you know that, right? Hey, if they so much as look at you wrong, I promise to kick all of their asses back up into the sky. It'll be raining feathers for days."_

_Madeleine scoffed but cracked a smile all the same._

" _What are you even talking ab—Hey!"_

_Suddenly on the other side of the car, Woo Bin swung her car door wide open._

" _Come on!" Woo Bin tugged at her arm. "You can't be scared of the birds forever."_

" _Yah! You tricked me! I'm not going anywhere with you."_

" _Come on, come on! Hurry up! The sun's already about to set!"_

_Woo Bin pulled her the rest of the way out of the car._

" _Haven't you ever seen the movie The Birds?!" Madeleine protested as Woo Bin began pulling her down the sand dunes._

" _You can't live forever without going to the beach. Come on, or I'm going to carry you the rest of the way and throw you in the ocean."_

_"I already went to the beach when I was little!"_

" _Did you make a sandcastle?"_

" _No."_

" _Did you get buried in the sand?"_

" _No."_

" _Did you ride waves back to the shore?"_

" _No."_

" _Do you even go in the water?"_

" _Not…exactly."_

" _What? How the hell do you go to beach without getting in the water?!"_

" _Why the hell does it matter?"_

" _You're kidding me...Wait, you're serious?"_

" _Can we please stop talking about this now?"_

" _But your father owns all those beach resorts."_

_"Yeah, well, I don't go to those. I can't possibly have visited every single hotel my dad owns. What type of time do you—aaahhhhh!" Madeleine shrieked and ran over to Woo Bin's other side, grabbing his arm and tugging him away from the seagull that had just landed practically on top of her._

" _Whoa, you weren't kidding. You really are scared of them." Woo Bin chuckled as she clung on to him._

_Slapping his arm, Madeleine shouted, "No shit, Woo Bin Song! Yah! Let's get out of here!"_

" _No, no, no, no. You need to face your fears." Forcing her in front of him, he made a few steps towards the bird that was now pecking at a clump of seaweed a short distance away._

" _I'm not going over by that thing!"_

" _Come on, you baby."_

" _I'm not—yah, let go of me."_

_Twisting in his arms, Madeleine jabbed her elbow into his chest._

" _You need to work on your fighting skills," Woo Bin murmured into her ear. "What if somebody tries to kidnap you?"_

" _Somebody already has!"_

" _All right, all right, all right. Now watch carefully. I'm gonna handle this."_

" _Hey! Hey you!" Woo Bin stepped around Madeleine and approached the bird. "Why don't you pick on somebody your own size?"_

_"Yah, what are you doing?"_

_"That's right. You better eat stay over there and eat your seaweed. You wouldn't want to get strangled with that, now would you? I bet there's a special place in bird hell for seagulls who mess with pretty girls."_

_He taunted the bird until it flew off further down the beach and Madeleine had doubled over with laughter, kicking off her heels so she wouldn't topple over._

" _Woo Bin-ah, stop, stop…stop…" Madeleine managed to choke out._

_Eventually, he did stop and turned to look at her, and the way he looked at her suddenly made her feel shy. Brushing a few strands of windblown hair out of her face, she squinted at the sunset over the water._

" _How did you live so long without going to the beach?"_

_Madeleine shrugged._

" _I guess I never had anyone to go with," she answered truthfully. She swung her body around so that she was facing the ocean and tucked her hands into her pockets. Tracing a pattern in the wet sand with her toes, she thought about the last time she had been to the beach. She had been eight years old, and her mother hadn't let her go in the water with the other kids because she insisted the sun would ruin her delicate skin. Sitting under the shade with her mother and pouting, Madeleine thought her mother just didn't want to be left alone with her mother-in-law, Madeleine's grandmother on her father's side, who had insisted on joining them that day despite the heat._

_There wasn't anybody at the stretch of beach they had come to today, nothing but more seagulls as far as her eyes could see._

" _You know, I really didn't get to go in the water," Madeleine admitted. She looked up at Woo Bin, who took a few steps closer to her._

_Undoing her jeans, she slid them off, then pulled her shirt off over her head and set them both down in a wad on the sand._

_Stripped down to her underwear, she grinned impishly up at Woo Bin._

" _You coming?" she asked._

_Running past Woo Bin toward the ocean, she hit hit him lightly on the arm. When she reached the edge of the water, though, she pulled up short as a huge wave crashed against the shore. Bubbly water pooled around her ankles, then receded again._

_She'd thought the ocean wouldn't seem as large now that she was older, but she was wrong. She still felt incredibly small compared to the vast expanse of sun-kissed water in front of her._

_She hadn't felt so small in a long time._

_Clenching the wet sand between her toes, she studied a few broken shells around her and watched them wash away as another wave arrived._

_A second later, a pair of arms hoisted her up from behind and carried her out to the water._

_Madeline could swim-at least, in a pool she could-and she almost demanded that Woo Bin put her down, but then he looked down at her and met her gaze, the expression on his face-there was no other word for it-tender, like her dad used to look at her when she was a little girl and had done something to make him proud, and instead she wrapped her arms around Woo Bin's neck and laid her head on his shoulders._

" _I knew you would like the beach," Woo Bin announced when they reached a part where the water came up to his chest level._

_Madeleine was about to retort something else about him kidnapping her, but at that moment another wave swept in, crashing over both of their heads, nearly knocking them over and filling Madeleine's mouth with salt water._

" _Yah, I think you better stand up. If I keep holding you like this, we're both going to get knocked over."_

_He set Madeleine down, who was still sputtering and coughing up water._

" _That tastes disgusting," she choked out._

_Woo Bin chuckled._

" _What did you think salt water tasted like?"_

_"A margarita?" she answered, half-joking._

" _I—"_

_Woo Bin's reply got drowned out as another wave sent her sprawling back to shore. Her knees scraped against the gritty patch sand and broken shells, and she tried to stand up only to get knocked back down again._

_And again._

_And again._

" _Hey!" Finally, Woo Bin reached her and picked her up. "Sorry, I forgot how light you are."_

_Madeleine stood up on wobbly legs, and salt water stung her eyes as she inspected a small scrape on her left knee._

" _The waves are pretty rough today," Woo Bin continued. "Let's go back up here." Holding her in front of him, Woo Bin guided them both back to the spot where they had tossed their clothes._

_Collapsing onto the sand, he patted the space next to him, and Madeleine sat down gingerly at first before stretching out on her back, the smooth sand's warmth soothing her bare skin._

_They were lying pretty much even with each other but without touching, and there was something about the gorgeous panorama of sunset before them and the sand's heat and the slightly chilly breeze sweeping through her tangled, wet hair and the sound of the waves—so violent yet so peaceful—that made her want to reach over and grab his hand._

_Another thing she'd never done before._

_Holding hands was for children._

_For girlfriends._

_For lovers._

_She was none of those things._

_But she liked to pretend. She'd always liked to pretend._

_When she was in the second grade, she had gotten in trouble at school for repeatedly signing her papers with the name Madeleine Deneuve._

_Madeleine smiled, remembering how irritated her teacher had been at her refusal to write Yi on anything._

_Madeleine Deneuve._

_Deneuve. Abella's last name._

_She liked to pretend._

_Her fingers slowly drifted over to Woo Bin's hand and brushed his fingers. Opening his hand up, he interlocked their fingers and kissed her hand before bringing it back down to rest on the sand between them._

_Madeleine wouldn't look at him though she could sense him gazing at her profile. Instead, she closed her eyes and focused on the crash of the waves again and on the places her mind always went to when she pretended, when she pretended a moment like this could last forever._

* * *

Groggily, Madeleine opened her eyes and shut them again when she saw daylight on the other side of her bedroom window.

Who the hell invented morning?

Now that she was back in Korea, life had been nothing but a series of unsavory social engagements—parties, dinners, dinner parties—with a bunch of creepy businessman and snobbish bitches.

Oh, wait. She was one of those snobbish bitches.

In her morning stupor, the thought made her giggle, which turned quickly into an acrid laugh.

"Stupid bitch," she whispered, reaching blindly for the box of cigarettes she always kept on her—

"You're up," an unfamiliar voice called out.

Abruptly, Madeleine flipped over on her back and sat up straight.

A man with a vaguely familiar build stood in the doorway to her bathroom with a towel around his waist.

"God, you scared me. What are you doing here?!"

"You were really drunk, I guess." He smirked at her. "We met at that club near—"

"I remember everything! But what are you _still_ doing here?!"

"You told me I could spend the night. I used your shower. Hope you don't mind."

"I never tell anyone they can spend the night. Now get out!" Madeleine threw a pillow at him, followed by the pants he had left on the other side of the bed and then another pillow.

"Hey, hey, calm down." The guy grabbed his pants off the floor and took a step towards her, but she pulled out the pistol she kept hidden in her nightstand drawer and aimed it at him.

"Can't you hear?! This is my apartment. Now get out!"

"Whoa! Whoa, okay, okay. Let me just—"

"Get out! Get! Out!" she shouted, shaking the gun at him.

Still facing her, the guy stumbled backward towards her bedroom door, shock etched on his face, and made a quick dash for the exit.

"Crazy bitch," she could hear him yell right before the door slammed.

_Idiot_.

Madeleine tossed the gun onto the floor.

She'd never shot at anything in her life, except for the one time Woo Bin took her to a shooting range.

Besides, it was illegal to own a personal gun here. This one was a fake she'd bought in high school, and it had turned out to be quite effective over the years all the same.

Pulling the comforter back down from where she'd covered up her chest during the argument, she got the last cigarette out of her pack.

Lighting it, she muttered, "Madeleine Yi, you're going crazy." She took a drag off of her cigarette and closed her eyes.

"Crazy," she said to herself, "If you're going to be stupid bitch, at least be good at it."

She opened her eyes again.

Her cigarette was burning a hole in her sheets.

"Shit!"

On her nightstand, her phone began ringing, and Madeleine answered as she hastily brushed cigarette ashes off of her sheets.

"Yes?!"

"Good morning, Madeleine."

"Oh…good morning, Appa."

"Are you all right?"

"Yes. I'm fine. Just…I just woke up."

"Well don't forget we're having lunch with the chairman today. I'll come and pick you up around 11:30."

"Uh-huh. All right, yeah sure."

"I have to go now, but I'll see you. Secretary Kim, get my—"

Click.

_Shit._

* * *

"What do you think about this one?" Jan Di held up a short-sleeve black-and-white polka-dot dress with a black bow around the waist.

"It's cute." Ga Eul smiled at her oldest and best friend over the rack of clothes separating them. "But Jan Di, shouldn't we be looking at the formal dresses over there? Isn't this supposed to be another one of those really fancy dinner parties?"

Yi Jeong had been back in Korea for a week already, and today, armed with their significant others' credit cards, she and Jan Di had gone to the mall under strict instructions to buy something nice for the engagement party this coming weekend.

"This isn't for the dinner this Sunday. It's for lunch with Jun Pyo's parents tomorrow."

Ga Eul mouthed an 'Oh.'

"He said I can pick anything I want. Besides, everything's so expensive over there."

"But Jan Di, it's not like you're paying for it."

"Yes, I know, but…it just feels wrong to take too much."

"Suit yourself." Ga Eul shoved a dress back on the rack. "I'm going to take a look anyway."

"I think Yi Jeong Sunbae's rubbing off on you."

"More like he told me I have to buy something really nice or he's going to do it for me. If he's going to spend the money anyway..." Ga Eul trailed off and shrugged. Then she laughed. "Yah, you have to admit it makes you feel kind of powerful, though, doesn't it?"

"Doesn't what?" Jan Di had pulled out a pale pink sundress and was inspecting the stitching on the hem.

"It's just that"—Ga Eul lowered her voice—"we could buy this entire store right now if we wanted to." She looked around. "Even the jewelry section."

"Yah, stop saying things like that. It's bad luck."

"I'm just kidding. Of course I wouldn't do that. It's just…well, it seems a bit surreal, don't you think?"

"I think I don't really like any of these dresses." Jan Di sighed.

* * *

"May I help you find anything?"

Madeleine nearly jumped at the sound of the saleslady's voice. In truth, she had been wondering about the shoes in the display, but she didn't appreciate the girl's proximity or the way she seemed to be sizing her up. Barely glancing over, she shook her head dismissively and resumed staring at the purses lined up along the wall. She breathed again only when she sensed that the girl had backed off.

Shopping usually calmed her, and after she had gotten out of that awkward lunch with the chairman, she'd run into the first shopping center she'd seen, never mind that it was the public shopping mall and didn't have many of the stores she was used to buying from. She didn't normally buy anything at regular department stores, but today she wanted to get lost in a crowd, not to get catered to and fawned over. She wanted to forget herself. She wanted to disappear.

Everywhere she went, though, she kept feeling like someone was watching her, and that was never good since she never paid for everything she got.

Stepping out of the small boutique, she headed for the large department store next to it, the one she remembered belonged to the Gu family.

* * *

Yi Jeong had gone back to Woo Bin's on Monday, leaving Ga Eul to cram in the class work she'd gotten way behind on, but he had driven her to school every morning for the past week and had picked her up at the end of each school day. His family knew he was home now, and today he was attending a rather long meeting with his grandfather and some of the museum staff. Tomorrow—Saturday—he would be moving permanently into his new apartment, and on Sunday there was to be a formal dinner party announcing Jun Pyo and Jan Di's engagement.

Speaking of engagements, Yi Jeong had already mentioned to her a couple of events he wanted her to attend with him in the next month. Ga Eul wasn't anti-social, but she had never been a social butterfly by any means, much preferring the comfort of her couch with a warm blanket and a good book on a Friday night, and just the thought of constantly mingling with a bunch of high-class socialites seriously unnerved her. She could imagine them all staring at her and whispering to each other, knowing she didn't really belong there, just like people had done at the club she went to on that horrible night before Yi Jeong left for Sweden.

Not that she cared what people thought, but…she also didn't want to embarrass Yi Jeong.

On top of that, Ga Eul had no idea how Yi Jeong's family was going to react to her—his brother aside, of course. At least she had that going for her. She did know Il Hyun and Eun Jae.

However, she also knew that Il Hyun had severed all ties with the family many years ago, save for keeping somewhat in touch with Yi Jeong, so she didn't figure her association with him would win her many points.

At least Jan Di had dealt with the witch in high school. She gotten the hardest part over with already.

Or had she?

Had _they_?

Would either of them ever really fit into the fairytale world they had cluelessly stumbled into?

Did Cinderella still feel like an outsider long after she had married her prince? Is that why that fairy tale always ended at the wedding and never actually showed the "happily ever after" part?

Ga Eul flipped rapidly through the formal gowns on the rack, looking for her size, the click-click-click of hangers hitting hangers mirroring her nervous frustration. She hadn't been around many truly rich people in her life, but she knew this wasn't a place where heiresses went shopping. Heiresses didn't count pennies and look at price tags. They didn't check the clearance rack first. They didn't critique a dress based on its ability to be worn again and again on different occasions. They didn't give up on something just because it wasn't on the rack in their size.

* * *

Why had she gotten in his car that day? Why had she gone out with him? Why had she agreed to his stupid proposal when she knew she was going to leave him forever? It wasn't like she liked him. She didn't like him at all, Madeleine reassured herself as she rummaged through a small bin of cheap costume jewelry.

Woo Bin was like this imitation gold necklace. He could never be the real thing.

He was _not_ the real thing.

Metal clanged against metal as she tossed the jewelry around.

Not, not, not…

"May I help you find something?"

* * *

Slipping into one of the dressing room stalls, Ga Eul closed the door and hung up the three dresses she'd found on a hook. The first one was a flowing dark blue floor-length dress with a halter top and a split going up the front middle of the skirt. The second was an off-the-shoulder, floor-length lavender dress, fitted and fairly plain in design, but Ga Eul liked the soft material.

The third dress, if it fit her, was probably going to win out, though, simply because she thought Yi Jeong might like it the best. It was white with a gold sequin pattern on the strapless upper bodice and flecks of gold shimmering in the short, flowing white skirt.

She put the white dress on first, noting immediately that it was a bit shorter in actuality than it looked on the mannequin.

* * *

"May I help you find something?"

For the second time that day, Madeleine nearly jumped out of her skin, but she didn't need to turn around to know that it wasn't a salesperson who had just crept up on her.

It was him.

Woo Bin Song.

She could see his reflection in an overhead mirror. If she had looked sooner, she might have spotted him before he had a chance to get so close.

He had gotten visibly thinner, and dark circles had formed under his eyes. A brown leather jacket hung off of his leaner frame, the same jacket she used to steal from him and wrap herself up in when they were walking to his car from a club.

"Or maybe you could help me find something?" he continued. "Because I seem to have lost my mind."

"Woo Bin, what brings you here?" Madeleine asked, keeping her tone light. She didn't dare turn around. "Not shopping for women's jewelry in this place, I hope."

"I saw you."

Well, obviously.

"I saw you at the airport, and I know you saw me."

Oh.

Of course she'd seen him. He'd been making eyes at her like a lost puppy from across the baggage claim. Why the hell he hadn't called out to her when she ignored him, she had no idea.

"The airport?" Madeleine ripped the tag off of a gold-plated turquoise ring and slid it onto her finger. "Were you there? I didn't see you. My driver came to pick me up."

"Why didn't you answer any of my calls?"

"I was busy."

"You were busy?"

"Mmm."

"You were so damn busy for a month you couldn't return a single phone call?"

"What for?" Madeleine fiddled with a few more rings in the bin. "It's not like I could meet up with you or anything. Don't tell me you were going to fly to France just to fuck with me."

"That's not what I—"

"Listen, it's been fun and all, but, you know, I just think we should go our separate ways from now on."

"Bullshit."

Madeleine turned around and gave him a tight smile.

"Baby, I'm full of crazy shit. Half of everything that comes out of my mouth is total bullshit. You just never listened, and that is _not_ my fault. Now if you'll excuse me." She started to walk past him.

Woo Bin grabbed her wrist and yanked her back.

"How about we talk about that ring you just stole?

"So what if I stole it? It's none of your business. I didn't steal it to wear for you. Now let go of me."

"It is my business, actually. This department store happens to be owned by Gu Jun Pyo, and if you're stealing from him, you're stealing from me."

"Oh, don't pretend to be so high and mighty, _Prince_ Song. Like your family hasn't extorted millions of dollars from _other people's_ businesses. You know what that is? It's called _stealing_."

"Careful, Princess. You're not on the right side of town to be talking so tough."

"And what are you gonna do about it? Don't tell me you beat up girls now."

"I always get what's mine."

"Then stay on your side of town with what's yours!"

* * *

Ugh, why hadn't Ga Eul dragged Jan Di off of that phone call so she could help her with these stupid dresses? Now the zipper of the second dress was stuck in the middle of Ga Eu'sl back—too low for her to reach easily one way and too high for her to reach easily the other way. As she strained to adjust the dress into a better position, she heard the door to the stall next to hers slam, and a pair of voices began bickering in hushed tones.

She recognized one of them.

* * *

Woo Bin shoved Madeleine into the nearest dressing room stall and slammed the door.

Backing her up against the wall so that she had no choice but to look at his face, he began, "You know, I think it's real funny that you're trying to break up with me because, according to you, we were never together."

"If we were never together, then why are you following me into the women's dressing room. I could scream right now and have you arrested."

"Okay, try. You think businessmen are the only people who take bribes?"

"Can I bribe _you_ into letting me go then?"

"Maybe. If you tell me what I want to know, I'll let you go."

"Fine," Madeleine huffed.

"Why don't you start by telling me one thing?"

"And what _one thing_ do you want to hear?"

"Whatever it is that you're not telling me."

"Don't flatter yourself, Woo Bin Song. There's a _lot_ of things I don't tell guys I _occasionally_ sleep with."

"Oh, we're going to go there, are we? I see. Well, why don't you start by telling me who you slept with last night?"

"How did you know I was with someone last night? Are you stalking me now?"

"Just a guess, but thanks for confirming it. So what was his name?"

"How should I know? I don't ask names, and if I do, I don't remember them."

"All the guys you've slept with, do you remember their birthdays?"

"Of course not. What—"

"Then why did you always remember mine?"

Madeleine came up short, momentarily unsure how to respond. She finally went with, "Because that's how you got me to go out with you the first time. It was your birthday, and I was supposed to feel sorry for you having to spend it alone. Well, congratulations, I've got that stupid date in my head forever! I went out with you one damn time, and ever since then, I can't get rid of you! Will you please tell me what the hell I have to do to get you to leave me the hell alone?!"

* * *

Clutching the crinoline underskirt of her dress, Ga Eul held her breath in the heavy silence that followed this pronouncement, afraid to move an inch for fear they would notice that they weren't alone in the dressing room after all. After a moment, she heard the latch on the stall door click open and heavy footsteps—Woo Bin's, she assumed—leaving the dressing room.

The woman didn't leave, though. Ga Eul heard her shift along the wall and slump down onto the chair.

A minute later, she started sniffling, and in a few more minutes, there emerged one of those painfully lovely, barely audible cries that actresses always lapse into when their lover has moved away or has gone to be with some other woman.

She certainly didn't sound like a woman who had meant her harsh words, anyway.

After setting her clothes down very quietly, Ga Eul rummaged through her purse for some tissues and, kneeling down on the floor, reached under the space between the stalls and deposited the tissues on the ground.

"Here you go," she said softly.

* * *

The voice startled Madeleine almost as much as Woo Bin's voice had earlier. She looked down at her feet to see a hand disappearing back into the stall next to hers and several sheets of tissue lying on the carpet in front of her feet.

"I could have you arrested for eavesdropping, you know," Madeleine said, sliding the tissues over with the toe of her shoe and picking them up. She blotted her eyes first, annoyed at how much mascara came off on the thin paper.

"Maybe you should go back and apologize," a small but soothing voice said from the stall next to hers.

"It's too late for that."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do. It's always been too late. Too late for all of it." Madeleine stood up, leaving the crumpled tissues on the chair. "Thank you for the tissues." Opening the stall door, she stepped out and headed for the exit.

* * *

Ga Eul heard the door swing open, and she zipped her dress back up and opened up her own door, only to see the woman's profile just as she was walking out of the dressing room. She walked to the entrance herself, spotting the woman heading rapidly toward the department store exit, and thought briefly about running after her. They had crossed paths for a reason, she thought. It couldn't have been a coincidence that she overheard that conversation. She knew Woo Bin hadn't been himself for over a month, and Yi Jeong hadn't been able to get any information out of him, but now she knew who he had been heartbroken over.

Nevertheless, her feet wouldn't move. She didn't have the nerve to confront her after all, and instead she watched the nameless woman weave through the endless racks of clothing and displays until she disappeared into the perfumes section.

At least now Ga Eul knew what she looked like.

"Ga Eul!"

Ga Eul looked over to her right to see Jan Di coming towards her with an armful of clothes.

"Here. I'm going to try all these on, and you have to tell me what looks good." Leading the way back into the dressing room, Jan Di deposited the mountain of clothes on top of Ga Eul's jeans and blouse.

Deciding against telling Jan Di what she had overheard for the moment, Ga Eul locked them in the stall and turned her back to Jan Di.

"I'll help you with anything if you get me out of this dress," she said. "I'm surprised I haven't suffocated yet."


	34. Chapter 34

" _Keep your eyes closed."_

" _Why? Don't tell me your apartment's messy already."_

" _Of course it is. There's boxes everywhere."_

" _Oh? I thought you would have everything put up. You've lived here for two whole days already."_

" _Very funny. Open your arms."_

" _What?"_

" _Not your hands. Your arms." Ga Eul felt Yi Jeong stretch her arms out further in front of her, and a moment later she felt something settle in her arms, something long and furry and—_

" _Milo!" Ga Eul exclaimed, nearly crushing the cat as she hugged him. "Why didn't you tell me he was here?!"_

" _Because I wanted some attention for myself."_

" _You haven't a changed a bit."_

" _I suppose you're talking about my good looks?"_

" _I was talking to the cat."_

_Ga Eul laughed at Yi Jeong's annoyed look._

_"I can send him back, you know," he said._

_"Why would you do that?" Ga Eul asked, setting the now-squirming cat down. "Isn't this a bribe?"_

_"A bribe?"_

_"To get me to come live with you."_

_She walked past him to survey the gray and white décor, metallic and modern._

" _Is it working?" he called after her._

" _I'll think about it."_

_The large, open front room had a large kitchen area on one end with white and black marble counter tops and a large island, a huge silver double sink, and expansive black cabinets with sparkling crystal knobs. On the other end of the room sat a black Steinway grand piano opposite a wrap-around dark gray leather couch in front of a 90" flat screen and around all of this, along each wall, were built-in shelves, some of which already showcased pottery and other works of art._

_Besides this, the apartment had two bedrooms plus a study._ _Ga Eul entered what was slowly becoming Yi Jeong's bedroom and passed over to the floor-to-ceiling window that looked out over the dark city at night, the lights from the buildings below sparkling like a million tiny fireflies. At ground level, the infinite stretch of homes and skyscrapers made her feel small and insignificant, but up here those same buildings were smaller than her fingertips on the windowpane._

" _So what do you think?" Yi Jeong asked. She heard him sit down on the king-sized bed that took up a lot of the room._

_Still staring out of the window, Ga Eul answered, "I think I know why rich people buy penthouses."_

" _Because they can afford them?" Yi Jeong chuckled._

_When she turned around, she saw him lying on the bed with his hands tucked behind his head._

" _No. Because you're above everything up here. It's easy to feel like you own it, all of it. You're on top of the world."_

_Yi Jeong said nothing, his gaze searching her. Maybe he was thinking about what she had said. Maybe he was just looking at her. Sometimes it was hard for Ga Eul to tell._

_He moved over and patted the spot next to him._

_Ga Eul approached the bed and laid down next to him, turning on her side she she could see his face._

_"Come closer."_

_She slid in closer to him and was just about to lay her head on his shoulder when she found herself being flipped onto her back until his entire weight rested on top of her._

_She expected him to kiss her then, but he didn't. Instead, he propped himself up on his arms and stared down at her face._

_"What?" she asked when he didn't say anything after a long moment._

_"You know something?"_

_"What?!"_

_"Calm down. Shhhhh." He pecked her on the nose. "Now I am."_

_"Now you are what?"_

_"Now...I am...on top of the world."_

_Because he was with her? Ga Eul smiled. She thought she might melt._

_"Because I'm on top of you. Get it?"_

_"You should have stopped at 'world,' Sunbae. It was much more romantic...Sunbae...Sunbae, I have to go."_

_"You can't go if you can't get up."_

_"Yi Jeo-"_

* * *

The lights outside Ga Eul's taxi flew by in a shimmering blur, like golden drops on a watercolor. The colors of the night bled into her tears and blended into the murky darkness. The night had turned out nothing like she had expected it to.

A few hours ago she had been waiting outside of her house for Yi Jeong to come pick her up for the party. Now she was burning up in a stranger's scratchy wool coat—alone—in the back of a dingy cab that smelled like mildew and tobacco. She had no phone. She had no Yi Jeong and no idea what she had done to deserve the past hour of her life.

_Three Hours Earlier_

Yi Jeong settled comfortably into the backseat of his family's black sedan and gestured to his chauffer to start driving.

The past few days had been a blur of activity. First, there were the preparations for his exhibition, which had been moved up a week. There had been a huge board meeting on Friday with all the members of the museum's board of directors plus some additional meetings before that with high-ranking stockholders and families who made generous annual donations to the museum. In the midst of this, he had somehow been able to get settled into his apartment and get together a gift for Jun Pyo and Jan Di, which he was to present to them tonight at the party.

Tonight was also important because he was taking Ga Eul to an event in Korea for the first time. Her parents would be there also, along with Jan Di's family. Thankfully, his grandfather had been called away on some business to another city and would not be in attendance that evening, although somewhere in the back of his mind Yi Jeong knew that was just postponing the inevitable. He had run through so many competing scenarios of himself introducing Ga Eul as his girlfriend to his family that he wasn't sure which was the worst one any more. In one particularly dramatic version, he imagined his grandfather sending him to Australia to live with his mother's parents until he got his head straightened back out.

No, he wasn't going to think about that. He just needed to stick with the plan he had been formulating over the past year or so. Everyone liked a good Cinderella story. All he had to do was get the media on his side.

It seemed to be taking longer than usual to get to Ga Eul's parents' house, though admittedly Yi Jeong drove a lot faster than his driver did. When Yi Jeong looked out the window, though, he realized that he was in another part of town, quite near the museum, actually. Although it had been several years since he had driven through Seoul on a regular basis, he did remember quite distinctly where Ga Eul's family lived, if only because he'd had to walk several blocks there on a night that felt like forever ago and yesterday all at the same time.

"Ah, excuse me, Mr. Shin, I think you took a wrong turn," Yi Jeong called to his driver.

"I am sorry, Young Master. We have to stop somewhere first."

"I don't need to stop anywhere. Just get me to Chu Ga Eul's house. We're running late to the engagement party already."

"I am sorry, Young Master."

Mr. Shin didn't look him in the eye.

Something wasn't right.

"Mr. Shin."

They turned another corner, and the museum came into view at the end of a long street.

"Mr. Shin, turn this car around immediately."

"I am under instructions—"

"You are under _my_ instructions!"

The car slowed down, then halted at a traffic light.

"My apologies."

"To hell with your apologies!"

Yi Jeong tried to unlock the door and make a run for it, but the locks wouldn't budge.

Damn childproof locks.

"I can put you through hell for this," he said when the car started moving again.

His driver said nothing but turned the car into the museum parking lot where Yi Jeong saw several large men, bodyguards most likely, standing around outside of what he knew to be his grandfather's car.

* * *

Yi Jeong should have come to pick her up already. Ga Eul frowned as she glanced at the time on her phone. He was fifteen minutes late, and Yi Jeong was never late.

Initially, she had been grateful that he hadn't arrived because it gave her more time to finish curling her hair before slipping into her dress. Yi Jeong had picked it out after all—a short powder blue cocktail dress with an elaborate silver floral design on the top.

She still hadn't had a chance to talk to him about what she had overheard in the dressing room on Friday, but she had only seen him briefly the day before when he took her shopping and that hadn't seemed like the appropriate time.

She had her thumb hovering over his contact in her phone when a text message came in from him.

_Ga Eul, sorry for being late. Ji Hoo is going to come pick you up. I have come down with a really bad virus, and I don't want to get you sick or any of the other guests. I will not be attending the party tonight. Please go and have a good time and give Jun Pyo and Jan Di my congratulations again. Don't come by my apartment. I am at my parents' house. Going to rest now. Yi Jeong_

Ga Eul pressed the call button only to hear the continuous ring of Yi Jeong's phone until it finally went to voicemail. She hung up and dialed him again. At the start of his second voicemail message, Ji Hoo's familiar white SUV appeared in front of her gate.

Well, at least she was grateful for that. Otherwise she would have to take a taxi seeing as how her parents had left earlier with Jan Di's parents.

Maybe Ji Hoo would have more information, she thought as she navigated her parents' cracked walkway in silver stilettos, almost tripping from digging her heel into one of the small cracks.

By the time she had reached the car, Ji Hoo had already gone around to the passenger side to open the door for her.

"Hello, Ji Hoo Sunbae." She greeted him with a smile and climbed in. Honestly, she was glad it was Ji Hoo who had come to pick her up instead of Woo Bin. Not that she didn't like Woo Bin, but she felt a bit awkward knowing such personal details of his life when they had never been that close. She knew Ji Hoo a bit better from visiting him and Jan Di at the clinic, and she had always felt comfortable in his calm presence.

"Do you know how Yi Jeong is?" he asked once they were heading down the road.

"I just got a message from him saying he was sick. Did you know about that?"

"Yes, I got a message from him too. It must have been…half an hour ago."

"That's odd. I wonder why he messaged me just now."

"Maybe he didn't want to worry you."

Ga Eul frowned. It could be. He must have been really sick to miss this party. She wished she could go to him, but he was probably resting like he had said, and it really wouldn't do for both of them to be absent on this important night. Still, it struck her as odd that he wouldn't call her.

"Maybe," she muttered.

* * *

Now inside the museum, Yi Jeong found himself escorted briskly to an all-too-familiar office on the third floor, top right corner. He had struggled against his captors at first but had finally decided that it was just as well if he got all of this over with, whatever his grandfather had to say to him. It was time to think with his head instead of his fists, he reminded himself as the office door swung open and he was faced with the familiar scene of his grandfather poring over a pile of papers on his desk.

He knew the old man had noticed him come in, but all the same his grandfather didn't look up until Yi Jeong had sat down brusquely in the padded leather chair to his grandfather's left.

Like hell he was going to bow.

His grandfather appeared unperturbed by Yi Jeong's lack of manners.

"Yi Jeong, how good of you to join me. Don't worry. I already sent our well wishes and regrets that we could not attend the engagement party, along with a very generous—"

"Why the hell am I unable to attend?"

The elder So flicked his disapproving gaze up to Yi Jeong but momentarily and continued, as though Yi Jeong were a child throwing a ridiculous tantrum, in the same level, informative tone, "There's a very important matter that we need to discuss—one that concerns the future of the museum. Ah, yes, Seong Jae, thank you for joining us." Yi Jeong turned in his chair to see one of the stockholders he had just had lunch with a few days before enter the room.

He stood up and bowed politely, swallowing his anger for a moment, and the older gentleman returned the gesture. He had liked Yi Seong Jae-had actually enjoyed talking to him-unlike most of the businessmen he would be in constant contact with for most of the foreseeable future. He could tell the man had an actual appreciation for art, which he assumed stemmed from his daughter being an artist. He supposedly had met her years before at one of his very first exhibitions, so the man had said, and Yi Jeong had feigned remembrance though he had no recollection of that. Why would he? Even had she been strikingly beautiful, she would have been one beautiful face in a long, frenetic series of beautiful faces passing by him, entering and leaving his mind without a trace, without any reason or invitation to stay there. Except for one face.

Except for the one reason he needed to leave. And he needed to get back his phone, which had been confiscated on his way in.

"I was so glad that you remembered my daughter," Yi Seong Jae was saying as they both sat down and Yi Jeong began tapping his fingers impatiently. "She has been an admirer of your work for many years."

Yi Jeong gave him a forced smile.

"Of course. Please send her my regards."

"And to think that her paintings will be displayed at your new exhibition. I wanted to thank you both for being so generous."

Yi Jeong nodded politely.

Yi Madeleine. That was her name. His grandfather had been raving to him about her work, and he had seen a few of her paintings, which were quite gorgeous, though he hadn't seen her. Not yet. Not that he remembered, anyway.

He knew she had been raised in France but had come back to Korea to study at Shinwa University, and rumor had it that she only painted landscapes, never people. He kept meaning to ask Ji Hoo and Woo Bin if they knew her.

"There has been a change of plans, Yi Jeong."

Yi Jeong turned his attention back to his grandfather, who was now clearing away his desk.

"About the...exhibition, you mean?" Yi Jeong said carefully.

"About many things." His grandfather clasped his hands together and top of his desk and looked him in the eye. "Yi Seong Jae has been on my case for years now." He gave a generous smile to the gentleman on Yi Jeong's right, which Yi Jeong found odd because his grandfather hardly ever smiled.

"I told Seong Jae that you had agreed to move forward with this new phase of your life...and that is why I suggested that there was no better time to announce your engagement than at the opening celebration of your exhibition next weekend."

Yi Jeong's heart missed a few beats, and a cold chill descended over him that sure as hell wasn't the air conditioning.

"I'm so-" he began.

"I can just see the headlines!" his grandfather exclaimed, and Yi Seong Jae let out a hearty chuckle. "So Yi Jeong and Yi Madeleine: The Art of Romance."


	35. Chapter 35

Ga Eul's parents had left moments ago, and now she was trying to break away herself so that she could check on Yi Jeong. It wasn't like his parents were going to be home. His mother had remained in Australia, and his father, whom she'd been avoiding all night, had been drinking a steady stream of champagne at one of the large round tables near the front of the ballroom. She occasionally glimpsed So Hyun Sub, as he cast a lustful gaze on some young woman or another, through the crowd of people dancing and milling around. Ji Hoo and Woo Bin had each danced one dance with her, and now she sat at an empty table, eating a slice of light, buttery cake and watching the swarm of well-wishers and photographers crowding the very front of the room, where Jun Pyo and Jan Di stood greeting guests. Madame Kang stood off to the side, intermittently speaking to important guests and surveying the room with the eye of a hawk. Occasionally, her gaze would land on Ga Eul's table—right on Ga Eul, it seemed—and Ga Eul would busy herself with shoveling in cake or studying the table's elaborate display of pale pink roses and baby's breath.

Madame Kang had chosen a grand ball room. Ga Eul could at least give her credit for that. Kicking off her shoes, she settled her aching feet onto the cold cream and gold checkered marble floor. Light from several crystal chandeliers made everything shimmer with a golden light: the swirling liquid in the wine glasses balanced on silver platters by sharply dressed waiters, the diamonds accenting nearly every woman's neck and wrists, the orchestral instruments, and Ga Eul's own reflection in her silver spoon as she scooped up the rest of the icing off the gold-rimmed China plate in front of her.

A chocolate fountain had been set up in the back surrounded by eclairs and several different types of fruit. Ga Eul had wanted to sneak out some eclairs for Yi Jeong, but she hadn't found any paper napkins.

Yeah, like there would be paper napkins at an affair like this, Ga Eul thought, mentally slapping herself.

Maybe she should call Yi Jeong again to see if it was all right if she came over. If he didn't answer, she would assume he was asleep and come by in the morning.

Her mind made up, Ga Eul grabbed her purse and her phone and stood, ready to bid her farewells to the happy couple. She pushed her chair into the table and turned perhaps a moment too soon, and a waiter nearly ran into her, the three glasses of red wine left on his platter tilting over before either of them could react and painting the front of her dress the color of blood.

* * *

_So Yi Jeong and Yi Madeleine: The Art of Romance_

The headline rang in Yi Jeong's head for a moment as he struggled to process what was happening.

Not only because his grandfather hadn't mentioned anything about this engagement before but also because the lady in question was not the same woman his father had told him about previously, the one he'd assumed he would be set up with upon returning.

He gripped the arms of his chair as he bit back an angry outburst.

You were expecting this, he reminded himself. Different girl, but you were expecting this.

Play the game.

His fingers rapidly tapped the side of the chair arm again as he forced himself to appear calm. He had to tread carefully here. His grandfather was not one to be trifled with, and neither was Yi Seong Jae. He wondered how long the two of them had been scheming to set this up and for what reason.

"It was initially my daughter's suggestion, you know," Yi Seong Jae continued. "She's been simply dying to meet your grandson."

_Her_ idea? Well, that was new.

And foolish. He'd make Yi Madeleine regret the day she first looked at him.

* * *

Yi Jeong was going to kill her.

Ga Eul pulled a few more paper napkins down from the dispenser in the bathroom—at least they had them in there—and continued to soak up as much wine as she could from her dress.

It was a hopeless mess of burgundy splotches, though.

Yi Jeong really was going to kill her.

Ga Eul soaked another towel in water. As she rubbed a particularly dark spot, she heard the door to the bathroom open and the clack of several sets of heels approach the long counter with six wide sinks. Thankfully, Ga Eul had chosen the sink furthest from the entrance, the one next to the wall and the napkin dispenser.

Turning slightly so that the mess on her dress was less visible, Ga Eul continued cleaning it as best she could while the three ladies who had entered busied themselves in front of the mirror with pulling makeup out of their purses and gossiping about guests with names Ga Eul didn't recognize.

"I should have stayed longer in Paris," one of them said with a slight accent that Ga Eul couldn't place. "These parties used to be so classy, but they're inviting just anyone these days."

Her voice sounded familiar, but then again Ga Eul had met so many people tonight.

"I know! Did you see the bride's parents?!" a second girl squealed. "They looked straight out of an ad for a charity organization."

"You didn't know this was a charity benefit?" the third girl chimed in. "You don't mean to tell me you thought this was an actual engagement party, did you?" She giggled.

"Did you see Ara's dress?" the second girl continued without pause. "Looks like somebody threw up confetti and pasted it onto a garbage bag."

"Her diamonds are so fake," the third girl commented. "Hey Madeleine, what do you think?"

Madeleine?

"You babies are still stuffing your dresses with tissues?" the first girl, Madeleine, intoned. Now Ga Eul could place her voice: the girl from the dressing room!

The third girl huffed. "My father won't let me get implants until next year when I turn nineteen."

"Everything about Ara is fake," the second girl continued as though the subject had never changed. "Her eyes. Her nose. Her lips..."

"She's not the biggest fake here," Madeleine stated quietly as Ga Eul gathered up her things and began making her way towards the entrance.

"Ugh! Seeing that slut caused me to lose my focus," the girl in purple complained. "Yah! Why don't you come fix my eyeliner? You messed it up." Holding an eyeliner pencil in one hand, the girl in purple looked accusingly at Ga Eul's reflection as she passed.

Ignoring her, Ga Eul took two more steps towards the entrance and had almost turned the corner when her arm got jerked back.

"Hey! Are you that stupid? She said to come over here." Ga Eul found herself twisted around to face the girl in black, who now stood practically on top of her. "You heard Violet," she snapped.

Ga Eul could see them all clearly now. The girl named Violet—her body particularly thin and bony—wore a dark purple halter-style dress with a slit up one side almost to her hip. Opulent diamond earrings and a matching necklace offset the simplicity of this dress. The girl in black had on an even more extravagant necklace, however, and glittering hairpins to match. She wore a black, off-the-shoulder dress made of some velvet material and was, somewhat surprisingly to Ga Eul, on the heavyset side and probably seemed more overweight because of her proximity to the girl in purple.

The third girl, the tallest one in the group and the one whom Ga Eul recognized as Madeleine, had to be one of the most gorgeous women Ga Eul had ever seen up close. While the girl in purple looked as flat as a wooden board, this girl had the sort of chest and hips any girl would envy, both of which were accentuated by the fitted strapless dress she wore. Silver sequins decorated this floor-length affair from top to bottom and shimmered in the bathroom's overhead lights. Her thick black hair fell around her shoulders in loose curls, complementing the dark makeup she wore. As Madeleine applied a new coat of bright red lipstick, Ga Eul saw her dark brown eyes shift to Ga Eul's reflection. Madeleine stared at Ga Eul like she was calculating something, like beneath her thick eyelashes, she knew immeasurable things Ga Eul would never be privileged to. Then the moment was over, and Madeleine had moved on to blotting her lips with a tissue, seemingly ignorant of the scene unfolding behind her.

"Yah! Did you hear what Rachel said?!" This came from Violet, who had turned to face Ga Eul as well.

Ga Eul focused back in on Rachel and found her voice again.

"Yah!" Ga Eul tugged her arm away. "What did I do to you? I don't know any of you."

"Oh, but we know you. Did So Yi Jeong buy you that dress?" The two girls each grabbed one of her arms and pulled her forward, causing her to lose her balance and tumble onto the hard tile, her purse and phone sliding away from her to the far end of the bathroom.

Ga Eul scrambled to get up but found herself slammed back down onto the floor and rolled over on her back. The two girls pinned her arms and legs on the floor.

"Scream and you're dead," Violet hissed in her ear, her face so close that Ga Eul could smell her shampoo.

"This is Yi Jeong's whore? She looks more like his pet to me," Rachel replied, lifting up Ga Eul's dress. "Look! She's wearing Minnie Mouse underwear!"

"Is that your secret, Chu Ga Eul?"

"Well, it certainly isn't her chest!"

"I..." Ga Eul's throat had gone dry. She couldn't remember words. She tried to scream but nothing came out. Finally, she whispered, "When Yi Jeong Sunbae—"

"Sunbae?!" Violet spat. "Yah, you didn't go to school with him. Only we get to call him 'Sunbae.'"

"Leave her be Violet." Madeleine carefully put away her makeup and took a few steps across the room to where Ga Eul lay, still struggling to get up.

She surveyed Ga Eul with a bored expression.

"I bet you just loved fairy tales when you were little, didn't you?" Madeleine began in a honeyed tone. "I bet Cinderella was your favorite one."

"What do you want with me?" Ga Eul asked, her voice gaining volume again.

"Do you know that dress is the exact same color Cinderella wore to the ball?"

Ga Eul nearly pulled one of her arms free but Violet forced it back down, her nails scratching Ga Eul's wrist.

"Do you know what happened to Cinderella at midnight?" Madeleine pulled a pair of cutting shears out of her purse. "Her dress turned into filthy rags."

* * *

"Yah!" Jan Di tugged on the arm of Jun Pyo's suit jacket after they had finally moved over to one of the buffet tables. "Where's Ga Eul? I don't see her anywhere. She was just here a minute ago. Do you think she felt too alone without Yi Jeong Sunbae? I should have told her to stand with us. Did anyone see where she went?"

"She left with her parents," Jun Pyo stated emphatically, loading his plate up with pastries.

"She wouldn't leave without saying goodbye to me," Jan Di argued.

"She knew you were busy. Look, she went that way with her parents a few minutes ago. I saw her myself." Jun Pyo gestured vaguely to the other side of the ballroom and stuffed an éclair into his mouth.

"Yah!" Jan Di slapped Jun Pyo's arm. "You don't know my best friend…Ji Hoo Sunbae, did you see where Ga Eul went?"

The chaebol dressed in his signature white suit turned from viewing the orchestra to focus in on Jan Di's perplexed expression.

"Ga Eul left?" He looked thoughtful for a moment. "She probably went to check on Yi Jeong. She told me earlier she wanted to do that after the party."

Jan Di mouthed an "O" and nodded her head solemnly.

"But still, she should have said something. It's not like I don't have time for her anymore just because I—Yah! Gu Jun Pyo! Get your own pastries!"

* * *

_Why_ wasn't anyone else entering the restroom?!

Ga Eul had stopped moving altogether. In fact, she didn't even dare to breathe, seeing as how Madeleine had the point of her scissors digging into Ga Eul's throat.

Methodically, like a seductive move Ga Eul had seen in a movie once—minus the scissors—Madeleine drew a line straight down Ga Eul's torso with the point of her scissors. When she reached the hem of Ga Eul's dress, she stopped and looked straight into Ga Eul's eyes, her expression one of calculated cruelty. Ga Eul tried to reconcile that face with the broken sobs of the woman in the dressing room.

She couldn't.

"No wonder Yi Jeong likes playing dress-up with you," Madeleine said. "You're such a fragile little doll."

She smiled.

"Too bad I always played rough with mine."

* * *

Yi Seong Jae had left, beaming with importance and expectancy, and now Yi Jeong inwardly squirmed under his grandfather's studious gaze. The old man had been staring at him for some moments now, surely measuring out his words carefully so that they stung in all the right places.

Finally, Yi Jeong spoke up, "Well…Harabeoji…"

"I warned you before, Yi Jeong. This is my last warning. Don't think I don't know you were taking that girl with you to the Gu reception tonight."

"She's a friend of Gu Jun Pyo's fiancée—"

"Who is of no repute herself. I can't imagine what Madame Kang must be thinking, but I will not concern myself with it. If they want to bury the family name in the sand, so be it. I, on the other hand, am not going to allow it. You end it, Yi Jeong, or I will end you."

"Harabeoji—"

"You might think that my investment in you is too much for me to simply kick you out, but that is where you would be wrong." His grandfather stood up and made his way around his desk. "Take a good look as you exit the museum tonight. You may not always be able to pass through these doors."

"Harabeoji, wait."

Yi Jeong stood up, and the old man stopped and turned around.

"Yes?"

"I was just going to say that I understand. Chu Ga Eul…the girl I was going to take to the party tonight…I meant to break up with her after that, but I thought it would be best to do so after tonight. She had to be there. She's a friend of Geum Jan Di's, as you know. I thought maybe if I did it before she might cause a scene. As it is, I have no reason to be in her company anymore. Now that I am back, I do not intend to disappoint you or the rest of the board, all of those who have put such good faith in me. I hope I have shown in the past few days that I am ready to take on the responsibility. _All_ of the responsibility."

The old man cocked an eyebrow and looked Yi Jeong over.

"We shall see."

He headed for the door once again.

"Don't forget. We have lunch with Madeleine and her father on Monday."

The door thudded behind him with a burgeoning shudder.

* * *

_Snip. Snip. Snip. Snip._

Broad ribbons of stained fabric fell all around Ga Eul. Her dress had been ripped from her body some minutes ago, exposing her bare chest and her Minnie Mouse underwear, which the girls had wasted no time making more fun of.

She'd lost her will to protest.

Paralyzed, she watched as Madeleine's shears shredded her beautiful dress into Barbie-doll-sized pieces.

"Such a pretty dress," Madeleine said once she had finished, throwing the last bit of fabric in Ga Eul's face. "Shame it had to be wasted on something so cheap."

Ga Eul shook the loose fabric off of her face, hearing a click just as she noticed Madeleine had taken out her phone.

Tucking her phone back inside of her purse, she instructed Violet and Rachel to let Ga Eul go, and they did so, flinging her arms roughly against the tile.

"She's not going anywhere." Madeleine turned her back and headed for the door.

"Have fun making something out of those scraps," Violet called out as she and Rachel followed suit.

"Yi Jeong sure knows how to," Rachel chimed in, and the two of them burst out laughing.

When they were gone, Ga Eul lay there for a long moment, unable to process what had happened. Then, slowly, she stood up and wrapped her arms around herself. Only now did she realize how cold the air conditioning felt against her bare skin.

Even worse, any moment now someone else would be-must be-coming into the restroom. Ga Eul had to get this mess up and hide herself in one of the stalls quickly. Putting her shoes back on—they had left those for some reason, thought they had confiscated her purse and her phone—she shuffled the mound of fabric into the nearest stall, entered it, and locked the door.

Collapsing onto the toilet, she sat there for a while, cold and shaking and numb and touching the tender scratches on her wrist that told her she had not been dreaming.

Eventually, she began to cry silently, so silently that she didn't even realize she had been crying until she reached up and felt the wetness of her tears on her cheeks.

_Do you know what happened to Cinderella at midnight?_

_Her dress turned into filthy rags._


	36. Chapter 36

Ga Eul had to get up.

She had to get up.

She had to get out of this stall.

She had to get out of this bathroom and out of this building and go home without being seen.

She had to be strong.

"Be strong," she repeated to herself.

Strong like Jan Di.

When Jan Di had been dating Jun Pyo and his mother had been out to destroy her, Ga Eul had worried about Jan Di but always knew deep down that her friend was strong enough to handle anything Jun Pyo's mother put her through. Unfortunately, she could never feel the same way about herself, although she knew she couldn't depend on Jan Di or Yi Jeong to defend her forever.

But what a great job she had done defending herself!

Ga Eul sank her head into her palms again and tried to make sense out of her frenetic thoughts.

Ten minutes passed, then twenty, then thirty, and still no one came into the bathroom.

Finally, she heard the bathroom door open and the clack of heels on tile, a sound she had a feeling she might learn to hate.

She opened her mouth to say something but quickly froze.

She hadn't thought this through.

What was she going to say?

Please tell the bride-to-be that she is needed in the ladies' restroom?

Jan Di would only cause a commotion, which would stir up reporters looking for a nice gossip column. There were too many members of the press here tonight, and there was no way she was going to embarrass Yi Jeong or her family or humiliate herself further.

That, surely, was Madeleine's intention all along, and she wasn't going for it. She would simply have to stay here until…until…

While she mulled over this, the pair of heels stopped directly in front of her stall, and a beige wool trench coat was thrown over the back of her stall door, toppling onto her head. She barely had time to react before she heard the heels receding and then the door slamming shut. Swinging the stall door wide, she looked around the bathroom but saw no one.

No one but her naked reflection in the mirror.

Staring at her reflection, she slid the coat on. It came down past her knees.

How did that woman know she was here?

Ga Eul shook her head.

She didn't have time to care about that right now. What she needed to do was get out of here as quickly as possible.

Stuffing the remains of her dress into the trash can, Ga Eul tried to remember the layout of the building from what she had seen when she came in. If she remembered correctly, there was a door leading to a stairwell a little ways down the corridor from this bathroom.

The wool coat scratched against her skin as she made her way to the door, but at least she wasn't cold anymore.

Poking her head tentatively outside of the restroom, she surveyed the corridor.

All clear.

Time to make a run for it.

Exiting the bathroom, she spotted the stairwell entrance she remembered and took off for it when she pulled up short.

There it was—the reason no one had entered the bathroom—a maintenance sign posted in front of the restroom entrance. No wonder no one had come in after the girls left. They must have planned this—the wine, the sign…except for that one lady.

Who was she? And how had she known…

A couple of people rounded the corner at the end of the corridor.

She had to go now.

Ga Eul ducked into the stairwell.

Tumbling down the stairs two steps at a time, Ga Eul came to an abrupt halt at a landing where an older man and a woman about her age were locked in a passionate embrace.

So Hyun Sub.

When he noticed Ga Eul standing there, he pulled his hand from underneath the woman's skirt and pushed her away.

"Miss Ga Eul, we meet again." His piercing gaze reminded her that she had nothing on underneath her coat except for her panties. She bowed quickly and mumbled a greeting as she dashed past him down the remaining flight of stairs.

"Honestly, aren't you a bit too old to be making out in stairwells?" Ga Eul muttered when she had burst out the door into the parking garage.

It was not coat weather, and she had no idea why anyone would have even had a coat like this at the party tonight.

"Just be grateful," Ga Eul reminded herself. She didn't exactly have many wardrobe options at the moment.

Now the looming question, though, was how to get home, seeing as she had no money and no way to call for a cab.

No way was she going to ask Yi Jeong's father for help. Even when Yi Jeong was being mean to her, she had always trusted him to some extent.

His father, not so much, especially clothed as she was.

She should have gone back into the ballroom. What had she been thinking trying to deal with this on her own?

Yi Jeong would be livid when he found out about this. Why had she been so scared of those—

Pictures.

Crap.

They had pictures of her. what would happen to Yi Jeong if those got out? What would happen to _her_?

Ga Eul tried to swallow down the panic rising in her chest and shoved her hands inside of the coat pockets.

A wad of papers lay buried inside one of the pockets, and she took it out and opened it up.

Money.

The wad of paper had crisp new money inside of it—more than enough to buy her cab fare, she realized—but when she opened up the note that had been around wrapped around it, she read these words:

If you are smart, you will go home like a good little girl and stay there forever.


	37. Chapter 37

" _Madeleine, you know what you did was wrong."_

_In the front seat of Abella's beat-up tan Volvo, fifteen-year-old Madeleine stared at her phone and tried to ignore the old woman's disappointed gaze. She had been caught shoplifting at a lingerie store._

_Again._

_When Madeleine said nothing, Abella continued, "I just can't understand what's gotten into you. You were always such a sweet child. What made you do something like this?"_

_Madeleine shrugged._

_She didn't know why. She was bored. She was curious. She was half-hoping she'd get caught so her mother would be forced to pay attention to her._

_Only it wasn't her mother's number she'd given the police when they'd taken her into custody. It was Abella's._

_She secretly hoped Abella might take her home with her although she didn't like Abella's cramped guest room, where she always caught cold from the draft and she could hear the shouts of the neighbors and the annoying horns and motors of the midnight traffic below. Oddly, though, she would always drift off to sleep there and sleep soundly until the next morning when she would awaken to the wonderful scent of Abella's crepes and omelets wafting into the bedroom._

_She had missed Abella's cooking so much since the elderly maid had retired three years earlier._

" _I raised you better than this," Abella continued._

" _Yeah?" Madeleine spat back. "And then you left. What? Did I get to be too much for you too?"_

" _Madeleine, that's not—"_

" _Why? Why did you leave?"_

" _I retired, Madeleine. I just—"_

" _But why did you leave? Why did you leave me there?! Can't you just take me with you?! I-I'll be good. I promise. Please let me live with you. I'll do all my homework every day…and I won't steal things from stores…and…I won't even wear makeup…sometimes."_

" _Mon petit chou, I can't stay with you forever." They had pulled up to a traffic light, and Abella reached over and stroked the top of Madeleine's hair like she had done for a five-year-old Madeleine not so long ago. "You're going to grow up before you know it and go off to college. See more of the world. Meet lots of exciting people."_

" _But I can still do that with you."_

_Abella shook her head._

" _Madeleine, I'm not rich like your parents. I can't give you those opportunities."_

" _But I don't care about that."_

" _Believe me, you will."_

" _But—"_

" _You need to stay with your parents and live a good life for me, all right? Do all those exciting things I never got to do."_

_Madeleine shoved Abella's hand away and stared out the window again._

" _Listen to me. You're always going to be my little girl, you know that? All you have to do is be good and kind and brave, and you really, really have to be strong."_

" _I…" Madeleine's could feel the tears welling up before she could shove the ache back down in her throat. "I can't," she choked out._

" _Yes, you can."_

" _No, I can't." Madeleine shook her head. "I can't do anything right. I can't."_

" _Madeleine, stop saying nonsense."_

" _No, no." Madeleine shook her head more fervently. "I just make a mess of everything, and apparently I'm not even good at that!" Madeleine swung open the car door and got out, ignoring the woman's protest._

" _I'll walk the rest of the way," she announced, slamming the door._

_Swinging her purse over her head, she crossed over hurriedly between a few cars to the sidewalk and took off running. She ran until she couldn't hear Abella's plaintive cries pursuing her. She ran until her feet ached and her lungs felt ready to burst. She ran until the tears filling her eyes blinded her, until she couldn't see where she was going and she didn't care._

* * *

Back at her apartment, Madeleine lit a new cigarette and took another swig out of the bottle of white wine on her patio table. The cool night air did nothing to calm her. If anything, the quiet made her thoughts as relentless as ever. In the dark, she had nowhere to hide from herself.

She'd thought after tonight she would feel in control of things for once. She'd feel satisfaction knowing someone would finally be getting what they deserved.

Where was the high she'd been craving all these years?

She finally had the So family right where she wanted them, and all she could think about was that stupid waitress and the stupid scared look in her eyes.

_Madeleine, you know what you did was wrong._

"Shut up," Madeleine muttered into the bottle.

At times like these, she wished she'd never burned that box: the photos, the letters, the mementos, the articles, all of it. She needed to remind herself why she started all this.

But she'd been angry that day, the day she'd destroyed her mother's box. She refused to use the word hurt. How hurt can you be by someone you didn't expect to love you in the first place?

Now history would repeat itself.

Only this time she would be the author.


	38. Chapter 38

When he'd found her, she was smoking a cigarette on the balcony of his apartment, her legs curled up underneath her on the patio chair. He had woken up alone in his bed some minutes before, his body aware of her absence, and had nearly called out her name when he spotted her. In the early morning light, her hair blew gently around her bare shoulders, and as she leaned back she looked almost serene, but then she turned her head slightly, and even through the smudged windowpane, he could see she had been crying.

He hadn't said anything to her that morning. He hadn't really known what to do, so he left her to her thoughts, whatever torturous thoughts they were. They had only gone out a few times at that point, and she had never been forthcoming with details about her life, not the ones that weren't already public knowledge. Somehow he'd doubted she would be more talkative having been caught crying like that.

'A lady of mystery,' he'd once called her.

Ironic, he thought, how true it was now.

Casting off his tuxedo jacket and tie, Woo Bin collapsed into a chair in his living room and contemplated the options in his liquor cabinet.

Not that he needed any of it.

He needed sleep. Woo Bin closed his eyes and tried to think, instead, of how happy his friends had looked that evening, how pretty Jan Di had looked in her dress, how comically pissed off Madame Kang had gotten at the wait staff for bringing out the hors d'oeuvres in the wrong order.

He actually cracked a smile at that last one when he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket.

It was Yi Jeong.

"Hey bro, you okay? Ga Eul said you were sick."

"Woo Bin, are you at home?"

Yi Jeong certainly sounded sick.

"I'm at my apartment. Why?"

"I'm outside your door."

When Woo Bin swung open the front door, Yi Jeong was, indeed, standing there in a disheveled black tux, his bow tie askew the way it got when he was distressed and kept pulling on it. Though all four of the F4 had been close, Woo Bin could say he'd always felt a special bond with Yi Jeong. Certainly, they had shared more common interests over the years. Yi Jeong had been his clubbing buddy, his confidante, the only person who could get through to him when he was in one of his darker moods. The two of them looked out for each other and, as far as they could, each kept the other from turning into the worst version of themselves.

Tonight, Yi Jeong looked like he did whenever his mother had one of her worse episodes, like he was about to spiral into a deep, dark abyss only he could see.

He didn't seem physically ill, though.

"Yi Jeong?"

Pushing past Woo Bin, Yi Jeong entered the apartment and wandered over to Woo Bin's liquor cabinet.

He poured a glass of scotch and took a large gulp.

"Yah, what happened?" Woo Bin slid the bottle of scotch away from Yi Jeong, simultaneously grabbing a clean glass from the marble countertop.

Yi Jeong stayed silent for a long moment.

Suddenly, he slammed his half-full glass down on the counter, and some of the amber liquid splashed over the side onto the white marble.

"You ever heard of anyone named Yi Madeleine? Apparently, I'm engaged to her, and it was _her_ idea. So her father says." He added the last sentence like an afterthought.

Woo Bin froze where he stood, his right hand clutching the bottle of scotch, ready to pour himself a glass.

What the hell?

"Woo Bin?"

Clutching the bottle tighter, Woo Bin barely resisted the urge to smash it on the floor. Was this what she had been trying to tell him all along? That she was going to _marry_ his best friend? That she was going to marry _his_ best friend? The f—

"Woo Bin? You okay?"

"What?" Woo Bin looked his best friend in the eyes.

"You looked kindof…spaced out for a minute." Yi Jeong looked away and took another gulp of scotch. "Anyway, I'm not going through with it...of course...but I just don't know"—Yi Jeong sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose—"how I'm going to last through the next week…dammit...and what the hell I'm going to tell Ga Eul."

Shit.

Now Woo Bin felt like an idiot _and_ an insensitive bastard. Of course, he should be worried about Yi Jeong and Ga Eul.

He really felt like breaking some glass.

"I know she went to Shinwa University. Did you ever see her or talk to her? She was in our year. She's an artist. Actually, she's having some of her art displayed at my exhibition next weekend. Her father owns this huge hotel chain. Oh, and he's a major stockholder for the museum. I think he may be on the board of directors soon."

How could he tell Yi Jeong the truth? How could he tell him he had spent the past four years sleeping with his supposed bride-to-be? What would Yi Jeong think? What would any of his friends think of—

Wait, was he really still protecting her? Even after everything?

And he had always thought Jun Pyo was the idiot in the group. At least he loved a girl who actually gave a damn about him.

"You're not _that_ shocked, are you?" Yi Jeong prodded.

"Aniyo, I was just…I was just…trying to remember."

Woo Bin finally poured himself a glass. He needed time to process this.

"My grandfather wants to announce the engagement at my exhibition next weekend."

Time he definitely did not have.

"Did you ever see her around? Did she ever mention anything about me?"

"Aniyo."

"Maybe if I show you a picture?" Yi Jeong pulled out his phone. "To be honest, she looks like someone you might have been interested in She's actually pretty—"

"I know who you're talking about, and I never really talked to her." Woo Bin downed his entire glass. He dropped the glass in the sink and went over to the chair he had been sitting in earlier. Seating himself so that he only partially faced Yi Jeong, he explained, "She…kept to herself mostly. You know. The frigid type. I hate girls like that."

It was mostly true. Most of it. They'd spent less time talking and more time doing other things.

And he did hate her. He hated her more and more with each passing moment.

And no, she had never mentioned Yi Jeong's name to him.

"Hey bro, you sure you're okay? Ga Eul seemed to think you were upset about something before."

Woo Bin glanced up. Yi Jeong actually looked concerned about _him_ now.

He waved Yi Jeong off.

"I'm fine. I'm fine. Just tired from work."

He hated himself more with each passing moment.

"I just don't understand it," Yi Jeong continued. "It's not like this is someone I've been hearing about before. Why all of a sudden is it her? I have a bad feeling about this."

"Yeah, well, there's a lot of things I don't understand either."

"You have contacts in Paris, right? Would they know anything about her family? What about her father? Didn't your father's company work on his new hotel?"

"My father handled all of that. I was still in school." Woo Bin fidgeted with the buttons on his shirt cuffs. "She's an artist, though, right? Don't artists marry other artists all the time?"

"You think she wanted to marry me because I'm good at pottery?"

"Jae Kyung wanted to marry Jun Pyo."

"Look, no offense to our friend, but you honestly think that's a fair comparison?"

"I'm saying it's not. I'm saying half the girls in Korea would want to marry you, and they wouldn't need Madame Kang to force them to do it."

Yi Jeong cracked a smile for the first time that evening.

"Only half?"

"People have short-term memories. You _have_ been away for four years, remember?"

Yi Jeong sighed.

"You're right. I'm overthinking it. Probably her father's getting the short end of the deal one way or another. I just don't know what my grandfather must be getting out of this. He doesn't agree to anything unless he has the upper hand somewhere."

"Well…it looks like he got it tonight. I'm assuming this is why you weren't at the party."

"What would you do? I'm having lunch with Madeleine and her father on Monday."

Yi Jeong stood in front of him, but he was staring out the window behind Woo Bin, clutching his drink in one hand and absently pulling the bow tie off with his other hand.

She'd already ruined his life. No way in hell was he going to let her do that to Yi Jeong and Ga Eul too.

Damn her. Damn the whole past four years of his life.

He didn't need a drink.

He needed to get angry.

Rolling up his sleeves, Woo Bin replied, in English, "Something they do not expect."


	39. Chapter 39

Water had flooded the car now, and Ga Eul could but faintly see the reflection of the streetlight on top of the water, way above her head, as she drifted further away from it. In the back of her mind, she knew she was dying, but she couldn't struggle any more. She couldn't fight it. Her limbs had gone limp in the water, and it wouldn't be long before her vision went black. Staring at the glimmer of light as it grew dimmer and dimmer, she sunk down with the car—weightless, invisible.

It was just her now. Even her brother wasn't with her, even though this was his dream.

Or, rather, her dream of him, of what she thought his last moments might have been like.

She couldn't see the light anymore.

Shouldn't her lungs be burning?

Shouldn't she feel some sort of pain? Terror, maybe?

But no, she didn't feel anything.

She guessed that was what being dead felt like.

* * *

Ga Eul woke up shivering although, with as many covers as she'd buried herself under when she'd finally reached her parents' home, she should have been burning up.

_How can someone who's so hot be so cold all the time?_

Yi Jeong had said that to her once, and she didn't know how to respond to it, so she'd giggled and buried her face in his shoulder. Now the memory brought a smile to her face.

Her pleasure lasted only a moment.

Yi Jeong. Madeleine. So Hyun Sub.

Ga Eul sat up in bed and let out a sharp gasp at the pain shooting up her back and into her shoulders. The previous night seemed like a surreal nightmare, except the fact that she was waking up in her old bedroom at her parents' house told her it was not. She hadn't dreamed up Madeleine's attack in the bathroom, losing her phone and her purse, sneaking into her parents' house late at night with the spare key they kept hidden under a plant, and falling into a restless sleep in one of her old t-shirts she'd found in her closet.

She hadn't slept long.

Looking out of the window, she saw that it was still dark out, and she wondered what time it was.

_I bet you just loved fairytales when you were little, didn't you?_

"Shut up," Ga Eul muttered. She couldn't think about this right now. She couldn't think about what that note meant right now or who Madeleine was or what Madeleine wanted with her.

Sleep. She just needed some sleep, and in the morning she would figure everything out. Everything would be okay. Yi Jeong loved her, and everything would be okay.

Switching her light back off, Ga Eul laid down again and tried to think about a happier time—maybe something from when she visited Yi Jeong in Sweden—hoping it would lead to a good dream, but when she closed her eyes she only saw Madeleine's hard, unforgiving eyes looking back at her. She felt the point of her scissors digging into her throat. She felt her back slam against the tiles, the soreness in her back and her tailbone a testament to how hard she had fallen back against the floor.

Painfully, Ga Eul sat back up and switched her light on again.

What if there were bruises?! She had to attend Yi Jeong's exhibition in a week!

_If you are smart, you will go home like a good little girl and stay there forever._

Ga Eul tried to swallow down the panic rising in her throat, but she couldn't stop a few hot tears from trickling down her face.

She did want to stay home forever. Being in her old room reminded her of the nights she used to chat with Yi Jeong, but it also reminded her of breakfast with her parents before school and sleepovers with Jan Di and board games with her grandmother and her brother's loud guitar music whenever her parents were out of the house.

Getting out of bed, she grabbed one of her old stuffed animals from the top of her closet, switched on the light in there, slumped down on the floor, and stared at the open box of juvenile romance novels sitting next to her. When she had moved out, a lot of her stuff had remained at her parents' house, remnants of her childhood that she couldn't take with her to her small apartment but couldn't bring herself to throw away yet. Being 24 years old was like that, she thought. She was not quite an adult and not quite a child. And, too, she wasn't an outsider like she was years ago, the first time she had ever seen Yi Jeong, when she and Jan Di had taken that fishing trip and Jun Pyo had demanded that Jan Di go to that fancy dinner party. But no matter how close she was to him personally, she was still an outsider in his world. She was in the middle—so close and yet so far—and it made her feel like she didn't belong anywhere.

Ga Eul coughed a little and buried her face in her stuffed blue dolphin to muffle the sound. Leaning her head against the closet door, she closed her eyes, but the knots in her stomach wouldn't let her rest. She wanted to hear Yi Jeong's voice so bad, even if he was just telling her she had been a silly country girl all along. Even if he had been right all along.

* * *

So Hyun Sub hated hotels—ironic, he supposed, considering how much time he spent at them. He hated the bare tables, the crisp sheets, the picturesque views, the way everything conspired to imitate a home but always ended up overdressed, overly clean, overly perfect, easily soiled.

Like so many things in his life, it was pleasure without comfort, beauty without permanence, existence without meaning.

He hated it, yet he preferred it this way, the room as much a pretense as his short-lived affairs.

Hyun Sub swung open the door to the present evening's dimly lit suite, the tall model hanging off his arm tittering at a seductive trifle he had just whispered in her ear.

He did not expect the woman waiting for him and his escort, perched statue-like on a chair in the middle of the room when they entered, a dark replica of a forgotten memory.

"So Ri-ah," he said, not bothering to hide the surprise in his voice.

The woman inclined her head only slightly, not towards him but towards his companion. Her cutting gaze raked over the model's body then back up to her face.

She smiled.

"Darling, aren't you interrupting something?" So Ri asked, the old sweetness in her voice tempered with malice.

"Oppa, who is she?" the girl on his arm whined.

Standing up and smoothing out her black knee-length skirt, So Ri continued, "We have private matters to discuss. Don't worry, I'm sure there are plenty of gentlemen downstairs who would love to give you a place to stay the night."

"Oppa." The girl tugged on his arm.

"Leave." Hyun Sub shrugged his arm away from her.

"But—"

"I said leave!"

Giving the girl a stern glance, Hyun Sub shut the door behind her as she fell back into the hallway, an indignant scowl on her face.

He turned the lock and flicked the overhead lights on.

So Ri pursed her wine-colored lips. Her lipstick nearly matched the burgundy of her blouse, which was tucked into her black skirt in a tight line. She looked as breathtaking as ever, if more severe.

"What a charming creature," she commented. "How old was she? Nineteen?"

"So Ri-ah, how did you know I was here?"

"This is my hotel. It's my business to know who stays here, don't you think?"

"I didn't know you were in Korea."

"I'm guessing you didn't know about your own son's engagement to my daughter, either."

"So Ri-ah, let's...sit down." He gestured to the champagne-colored sofa on one side of the suite.

"Let's not. Don't get it in your head that I came here to see you. I came here to tell you this marriage is a mistake."

Hyun Sub chuckled bitterly.

"Most marriages are," he replied, crossing over to the small bar in the corner of the room. "Something to drink?" he asked. Hyun Sub poured two glasses of wine, foolishly wishing he had her favorite kind. When he turned back around, she still stood poised by the chair she had drawn out, her stern demeanor practiced, unnatural.

"Shouldn't you be discussing this with your daughter?" Hyun Sub asked, carrying the wine over to her.

"My daughter's as much of a fool as I was at that age." So Ri crossed her arms as Hyun Sub approached her.

"You're a foolish woman now." Perhaps he was foolish, for wishing she would look at him in the old way after how much he had hurt her. "Tell me. What can I do for you after all these years?" Depositing the two wine glasses on a small table, Hyun Sub drew closer to her and lightly touched her arm.

She flipped his arm away.

"Don't touch me."

Dropping his arm, Hyun Sub stared at the side of her face for a long moment while she looked past him. All these years later, and she still wore the same damn perfume.

Maybe that was intentional though. Maybe she thought it might help her case.

"Why are you here?" Hyun Sub finally asked when she remained silent.

Her eyes fully met his for the first time since he'd walked through the door.

"Because I need you to convince your father not to go through with this."

"And since when have you believed me capable of going against my father?"

"You can't seriously want this marriage?"

"Why do you want me to? You really must be desperate, asking for my help after all this time."

"Hyun Sub-sshii, you owe me."

"Don't start with that damn nonsense." He surveyed the room with distaste. "You sound like my wife."

"Your wife? The one who's still so attached to her parents she's been visiting them for two years? Do you really think everyone doesn't know what you did to her?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. And you're starting to sound more like her by the damn minute. Leave if you don't have anything useful to say."

Hyun Sub passed her and collapsed onto one end of the sofa, loosening his tie in annoyance. He knew deep down he should feel ashamed, but he hadn't felt much of anything in years, and, to be honest, he no longer cared about trying.

"What about your son? You don't care about he wants?"

Hyun Sub said nothing. He stared out of the window overlooking the sleeping city.

"So you're still a coward, is that it?"

He looked back up at her.

"So Ri-ah, have you come up that much in the world? You couldn't even stop your own daughter-"

"My daughter does what she wants, which, at least, is a hell of a lot more than I can say for you." So Ri grabbed her purse, which was sitting on the coffee table in front of the sofa. "I can see I've made a mistake coming here. Fine then. I'll deal with this on my own terms, and I won't care who takes the hit."

"So Ri-ah."

So Ri crossed over to the door. He heard the lock turn. He shouldn't make her stay, but he couldn't let her go like this.

"Don't you think we should talk about what happened to us?"

So Ri froze.

When she spoke again, her voice was chillingly quiet.

"What happened to us? Nothing happened to _us_. Everything happened to me."


	40. Chapter 40

"Sunbae!"

Ga Eul flung her arms around Yi Jeong, who chuckled as he squeezed her tightly. She winced when he touched a particularly sore spot on her back, but he didn't seem to notice as he kissed her forehead and mumbled a greeting. He had shown up at her apartment an hour after her parents had dropped her off with the spare key she had given to her mother, who had berated her all morning for being so careless with her things. She hadn't told anyone what had happened yet, and thankfully her mother hadn't asked what had become of her dress. She needed to talk to Yi Jeong first.

"Did you miss me that much for one evening?" Yi Jeong smoothed out her hair. He was wearing another immaculate suit she swore she'd never seen before. The single diamond earring in his left ear glinted in the overhead hall light, and as he looked down at her, he flashed her one of those charming smiles that had captivated her all those years ago. "I told you to move in with me."

Pulling away, Ga Eul asked, "Sunbae, are you all right? You…you look…well, I thought you were really sick last night. I was so worried, and I couldn't get ahold of you."

"Don't worry, I'm okay now. Can we go inside to talk?"

Ga Eul nodded. She wanted nothing more than to curl up in his arms, tell him everything,and cry into his white dress shirt until her mascara stained it black.

The sound of someone clearing his throat made her turn toward the staircase, and she bowed and said a quick greeting, trying to mask her disappointment with a surprised look.

What was Woo Bin doing here? Not that she didn't want to see him, but considering the circumstances…

"Ga Eul-yang." Yi Jeong took one of her hands. "Woo Bin and I have something to discuss with you. Can we all go inside?"

Ga Eul glanced between the two F4 members uncertainly. Did Woo Bin know what had happened last night? He had been there at the party. Had he seen something?

"Ga Eul-yang?" Yi Jeong's voice drew her attention back to his face, where she detected an uncertainty that contradicted his calm tone. A small glimmer of worry shone in his dark eyes.

"Yes," she heard herself saying, automatically giving him a reassuring smile. "Yes, of course."

When they had all gone inside Ga Eul's apartment and had settled themselves onto her couch, with her seated in between them, Yi Jeong wanted to hear all the party details first: How many guests were in attendance? Was Jan Di's whole family there? Was the food good? Did Jan Di and Jun Pyo look like the couple of the year? Were they really able to refrain from arguing (or mock-arguing) for a whole evening? Did Madame Kang preside over the proceedings like the devil incarnate? Were there pictures so he could see how Ga Eul-yang looked in her dress? Where was Ga Eul-yang's dress anyway?

"My dress?" Ga Eul ran her thumb over a crease in Yi Jeong's light gray dress pants. She couldn't tell him right now, not with Woo Bin sitting there. The whole thing was just too…too…unbelievable. "Oh, I had to send it out for dry cleaning," she answered, her eyes pinned to the soft fabric as she rested her hand on his leg.

Great, she was lying to him now.

"My staff could do that."

She looked up at him.

"Oh, I know, but it had a wine stain on it, so I thought maybe I better get it out as soon as possible."

That, at least, had been true.

"Oh."

"You missed it, bro," Woo Bin chimed in, and Ga Eul twisted her head to look at him. "Ga Eul was the prettiest one there, outside of Jan Di, of course. I was jealous of Ji Hoo getting to escort her in."

"Yah, Woo Bin Sunbae," Ga Eul chided softly, "Please don't turn this into another love triangle."

"Aniyo. I will be like your older brother." Woo Bin clasped a hand to his heart and winked. "You can call me 'Oppa.'"

"Like hell she will," Yi Jeong interrupted, and Ga Eul giggled.

"But Yi Jeong Sunbae, I never call _you_ 'Oppa.' Don't you think I need one in my life?"

"I think I'm uncomfortable with the conspiracy brewing in the room right now."

At that, Ga Eul and Woo Bin both laughed outright.

"Anybody messes with Ga Eul-yang, they'll hear from me personally," Woo Bin stated emphatically.

Ga Eul felt a pang go through her heart then but kept a smile plastered on her face while Yi Jeong conceded that he didn't mind Ga Eul having a personal bodyguard, so long as she didn't fall in love with him like in the movies.

What would Woo Bin have thought of the coldness in Madeleine's eyes?

He would hate her.

In fact, he would hate her more than most because he had once loved her.

How could Ga Eul put him through that?

Why should he be hurt by Madeleine anymore?

"Ga Eul-yang." Yi Jeong grabbed her hand, and she knew by the serious expression on his face that he was about to come to the real reason for their visit.

"Ga Eul-yang, I have to tell you why I wasn't at the party last night."

"What? Why?" Ga Eul glanced between him and Woo Bin. "I thought you were sick."

"Ga Eul," Woo Bin spoke up. "Have you heard of the Yi family of the Hotel Adonis chain?"

Ga Eul frowned in concentration, trying to remember.

"I've…heard of the hotel…Actually, didn't we stay in one of their hotels? When we went to France?" Ga Eul turned back to Yi Jeong.

"Oh…yes, we did. I forgot about that."

Ga Eul smiled.

"That was my favorite hotel we stayed at. They had the best breakfast!"

Ga Eul expected Yi Jeong to make a wisecrack about her only remembering the food, but his expression remained serious, his gaze not quite reaching her eyes.

"Sunbae? What is it?"

"My grandfather…has arranged for me to marry their daughter."

Tension gathered in Ga Eul's muscles, causing them to hurt again.

Everything—her heart, her lungs, even in the air in the room—seemed to constrict.

"What?" She could barely hear her own voice.

"Last night I wasn't sick," Yi Jeong continued, fiddling with her fingers, still not looking at her. "I wasn't at the party because I was with my grandfather. He's the one who sent you those messages telling you to go to the party without me."

"Oh…Oh, I see."

He looked up at her then and must have noticed the absolute terror in her eyes because he blurted out, "I'm not going through with it, I swear!"

Ga Eul nodded, automatically again.

"I believe you, Sunbae," she managed.

Yi Jeong's strained expression lessened, but he now had her hand locked in a death grip.

"Sunbae...You're hurting my hand," she said quietly.

"Sorry." Yi Jeong loosened his grip. "I'm sorry about all of this." Yi Jeong looked away. "My grandfather wants to announce our engagement next Sunday at my exhibition. I said I was fine with it, but only because I needed to buy time. To be honest, I didn't expect this to happen so soon. But Woo Bin seems to think this could work to our advantage." He turned his head towards her again. "I'm going to need your help, though."

" _My_ help?" Ga Eul said slowly as she tried to process his last words. "I mean, sure, I'll do anything you need me to do, Sunbae."

"Remember when we went on that pretend date a long time ago? When we were trying to get Jan Di and Jun Pyo back together?"

Ga Eul nodded.

"Well, we're going to do that again, only the opposite way. The first thing we have to do is pretend to break up."

"Break up?"

"Just for a week, I swear. Just until my exhibition."

"So we're just going to do a bit of acting again. Don't worry, Ga Eul, we'll set you up with a killer wardrobe," Woo Bin quipped, and Ga Eul was thankful for him trying to lighten the mood though she hardly felt cheerful.

"Do I get to keep it?" Ga Eul asked, giving him a small smile.

"Do a good job. Then we'll talk payment."

Ga Eul nearly shook her head. Sometimes Woo Bin's upbringing showed in small things.

Turning back to Yi Jeong, she asked, "Do I get to know her name?"

Yi Jeong nodded.

"It's Madeleine. Yi Madeleine. I'm supposed to have lunch with her family tomorrow."

A sharp pain flared up in Ga Eul's back, and her lungs tightened again.

Madeleine?

Ga Eul rarely cursed, but the bitch suddenly started making sense.

And if Madeleine knew about her, it only stood to reason that Yi Jeong's family did too, no matter how quiet they'd been about their relationship.

Ga Eul glanced down at her lap and took a deep breath.

"Ga Eul-yang?" Yi Jeong touched her arm. "You sure you're okay? I know this is a lot to process."

"Ga Eul?" Woo Bin prodded, concern in his voice as well. She looked up at him then. His expression was blank, too blank.

_We're going to have to do a bit of acting again_.

Shit.

She'd bet anything he hadn't told Yi Jeong that he knew her.

"You okay?" Yi Jeong asked again.

Ga Eul fought the urge to tell him 'no.' She could have told him about Madeleine earlier, but she didn't, and now she couldn't bring herself to worry him more than he already was.

Worse than that, she hated feeling weak and vulnerable, the way Su Pyo had made her feel and now the way Madeleine had.

She'd never wanted to appear that way again in front of Yi Jeong, and him bringing Woo Bin here meant he must have already been quite worried about how she would take everything.

He didn't need to worry about her.

If Woo Bin could push aside his own pain to help Yi Jeong, then she could be strong for him too.

Which meant she needed to keep her own mouth shut.

Her mind made up, she spoke up in a confident tone, "Yi Jeong-ah, I'm not going to break into pieces. It's okay. You do whatever you have you to do." She paused a beat then added, "I'll miss you."

"Don't worry, I'm not leaving the country again. It'll only be for a week."

"I know, but it's still not fair. You just got back, and now I guess I won't see you again for another whole week."

"It's not a whole week. Today is Sunday, which makes it six days."

"Oh, that makes it so much better, Sunbae."

"You're not mad at me, are you?"

"Of course not." She smiled. "But be careful, okay?"

"Don't worry. I've been taking care of myself for a long time."

"Yes, and you did such a great job with that before you met me."

"Don't take so much credit."

Woo Bin cleared his throat.

"You know as beautiful as this is, you have to pretend _not_ to like each other now. Not that Yi Jeong has ever known how to do that."

"Yah, what are you—"

"Oh, don't worry Woo Bin Sunbae," Ga Eul answered, "I can definitely do that. All I have to do is remember what an annoying and entitled prick he was when I first met him."

"Yeah, and I used to think you were a nice person," Yi Jeong bit back sarcastically.

"He was always dragging me everywhere liked he _owned_ me, and he'd roll his eyes at _everything_ I wanted to do. Honestly, I thought he was a bit mental, going from completely charming one moment to downright infuriating the next." Ga Eul shook her head in mock-disappointment.

"It's not real, you know," Yi Jeong muttered.

"I know, Sunbae. But wasn't it you who told me we should do everything to the end?"

Ga Eul smiled brightly at him, tamping down the bad feeling she had about all of this.

The mere fact that Yi Jeong was being completely transparent with her, while she and Woo Bin were both harboring secrets, felt like a betrayal, but secrets seemed to be the way of survival in their world, and she bet Madeleine had plenty of her own, her relationship with Woo Bin notwithstanding.

She remembered Madeleine saying something in the dressing room about it being too late for her, like maybe what she'd done to Woo Bin, and now to Ga Eul herself, was just the tip of the iceberg.

She bet that when the smoke cleared, Madeleine would have to hold up the mirror to her own warped, twisted soul.

She bet they had all better be on their toes in the meantime.


	41. Chapter 41

She'd changed the lock to her apartment.

Woo Bin didn't know why he felt slighted by this, but it felt worse than everything else she had done up to that moment. The finality of it.

Thankfully, he knew a thing or two about breaking and entering and quickly got himself inside Madeleine's apartment without much trouble.

The place had been trashed. For someone who prided herself so much on her squeaky clean appearance, her apartment had taken an uncharacteristic hit in the cleanliness department. Forcing himself not to disturb the numerous empty alcohol bottles lying around, he found her laptop where she'd always kept it and copied the files over, noting a few encrypted folders he needed to check out once he got home. Then he scanned the apartment for any evidence of what her and/or her father might be plotting, or, even better, something he could use for an easy scandal. She was the enemy now.

He had to remember that.

She was the enemy. She always had been.

* * *

Yi Jeong couldn't remember the last time he'd been inside his grandfather's house, its earthy, antique decor a far cry from his own thoroughly modernized apartment. When he'd arrived, a light lunch had already been prepared, and the large, circular, wrought iron table on the veranda had been furnished with an array of cutlery, pink and white floral arrangements, delicately shaped napkins, and spotless wine glasses flawlessly arranged on a single white tablecloth. Ever the king in his castle, his grandfather sat overlooking the vast gardens in the backyard. Unsurprisingly, the walking cane his grandfather used to get around the house was nowhere to be seen. Signs of weakness were a sore point with him, and as he fought the inevitable toll of age on his body, he had only made concessions to them within the privacy of his own home. Yi Jeong imagined he would not like to make a spectacle of his physical frailty in front of their guests.

Not bothering to disturb the old man, Yi Jeong waited in the foyer until the expected guests arrived. His father strode in first, snidely remarking to Yi Jeong what a pleasant afternoon he expected them all to have before heading toward his grandfather's study for what Yi Jeong suspected was his pre-lunch drink. For once, his father's bleak sarcasm didn't bother him. At least around him Yi Jeong didn't have to pretend to be happy about the whole affair.

In the meantime, he had a role to play.

When Madeleine and her parents arrived a few minutes later, he put on his most agreeable smile as they greeted one another. He took Madeleine's hand and kissed it. Her perfume was sharp, womanly, expensive, and very unlike the light floral scents Ga Eul preferred.

Leading Madeleine out to the veranda, he complimented her on her artwork and told her how befitting it was that the woman who created it was just as lovely, and Madeleine didn't blush or stammer. She didn't look starstruck or angry or put out.

Instead, she complimented him in turn, in that casually flirtatious way women who knew the score did. She, like he, had been raised to be charming, and, at first glance, she seemed quite at ease with herself and with the current developments. He looked forward to figuring her out.

Fortunately, Madeleine carried much of their initial conversation along by asking him about the exhibition plans. It had been a long time since he'd consciously tried to be charming. Over his years in Sweden, he and Ga Eul had developed an easy banter with one another, and she had so much genuine affection for him that his practiced seduction was unnecessary, inadequate even. Even if it was just an act for today—well, what had it always been if not an act?—it still felt strange to him, like putting on an old suit that didn't fit anymore. He knew Ga Eul would say, in that wise, all-knowing voice of hers, that he had simply grown out it.

"So, Yi Jeong, how did you like Sweden?" Seong Jae interrupted Yi Jeong's recounting of the exhibition's itinerary.

Turning his attention to the gentleman seated across the table, Yi Jeong replied, "Sweden was quite charming. I think I grew in many ways there. It was a great place to study the arts and the art of business. Of course, nothing compares to Paris."

"You've been to France a few times, haven't you?"

"Mm, about five or six, but the first time I was two years old, so I hardly think that counts." Seong Jae laughed at that—an unaffected laugh—and Yi Jeong decided to try his luck at fishing out the man's motives.

"Forgive me for not asking before, but what brings you back to Korea after all these years? I know you've done quite well for yourself abroad."

"Ah, does one need a reason to return one's homeland?" Seong Jae gestured dramatically to the gardens beyond them, the sleeve of his fitted grey suit crinkling, then falling smoothly back into place. I had always planned to return, but reestablishing myself here has taken a bit longer than I'd imagined. I'm just grateful to your grandfather for his partnership, and, dare I say, friendship."

"Partnership?" Yi Jeong asked.

"It's another matter," Yi Jeong's grandfather interrupted. "I wanted us to discuss it after the exhibition is over."

"Of course," Seong Jae conceded. "Why all this talk about business when we should be celebrating?"

Yi Jeong raised his glass.

"To the success of the exhibition."

"To great success." Seong Jae clinked his glass against Yi Jeong's, and the others followed suit.

* * *

So Yeong-cheol eyed his grandson with interest from the head of the table. Though he wasn't totally buying the contented expression on Yi Jeong's face, he did have it on good authority that his grandson had broken up with his commoner girlfriend the day before, the latter being reduced to a blubbering mess in front of her apartment building. It had been quite a scene, his sources told him—his grandson storming out of the complex, her chasing after him all sobs and hysteria, getting off at least one good slap on his cheek. Well, it was all the better for her to get it out of her system. If she made a public scene later, it was a mere trifle to deal with her, but it was something he'd rather not be bothered with at the moment. There were much larger issues to be dealt with. Yi Seong Jae might think he had him backed into a corner, but at least when they were family, a fall for the So family would mean a fall for the Yi family too. Seong Jae was smart but relatively new money. Added to that, he had been out of the country for over half his life, and that could definitely work to Yeong-cheol's advantage in the future. He'd worked too hard building up the museum's legacy, and his family's esteem, to watch it crumble around him like a quivering mass of pottery shards in an earthquake.

* * *

What was her ambitious fool of a husband getting himself into now? So Ri's ears had perked up at the word 'partnership' even though her eyes had remained on her salad.

So Ri had sworn on her life she'd never come back to the So mansion. The fact was she'd rather go to her grave than sit across from the man who had single-handedly destroyed her life, exchanging demure pleasantries with him like they were old friends.

Madeleine—of course, Madeleine—had brought up that she and Hyun Sub had attended college together, and So Ri had picked at her appetizer as So Yeong-cheol waxed eloquently about the artistic merits of an acclaimed artist they had both had as a professor. Though Yeong-cheol's speech painted the man as a saint, So Ri remembered the professor's temper, mostly—how he'd fly off the handle at the tiniest mistake, how one time Hyun Sub had gotten clubbed behind the ear for talking back to him after he'd severely insulted So Ri's latest work. It was, perhaps, the bravest display she'd ever seen Hyun Sub put on. Where his father was concerned, she'd had no such luck.

And now her husband wanted her to move back to the same damned city as the old man, where she'd get to attend frivolous dinner parties with the same women who'd looked down their noses at her all through high school and college. When she'd questioned Seong Jae on his intentions, he'd mentioned something vague about wanting to reconnect with his country and his culture after so many years abroad. He'd had a few challenges re-establishing himself in Korea, but artistic patrons, especially for places of national importance, were not to be ignored. No doubt, connections with the So family were not to be ignored either. The So's were old money, minted out of the richest earth centuries ago. So Ri's own father—may he rest in peace—was a self-made man, and her grandfather had been a school teacher in a rural town whose population could probably fit comfortably inside the So's precious museum.

At least she'd married up, So Ri thought bitterly. So Yeong-cheol had to respect her for that, and she bet it was killing him to welcome her into his home after all these years.

Or, perhaps not, she thought, as he smiled indifferently at her and recommended an hor d'oeuvre to her and her husband. Pausing, he suddenly commented on how good it was to see her at his table again.

"Perhaps I will have the pleasure of seeing you more often now that you have returned from Europe?"

Perhaps he would have the pleasure of feeling her nails on his throat as she choked him to death, So Ri thought. She smiled, not trusting herself to say anything, and nodded. The last time she had been at his table, she had been humiliated and told to never show her face in front of him again...and some things even worse, that horrible secret that she'd carried inside of her all this time.

She didn't know if she was being punished for the sin she'd wanted to commit or for the sin she had not.

* * *

The dark clouds that had been threatening rain all morning finally burst as the luncheon party finished their main course in the glass-enclosed veranda. Hyun Sub wished the rain's low thrum could drown out the chaos in his mind. As much as he hated to admit it to himself, he'd been rattled by So Ri's sudden reappearance. She was the reason he hated himself, and he hated her for it. Or maybe he still loved her, damn fool that he was. Now he found himself seated across from her at this faux happy family gathering with his future in-laws while the old man reigned over the proceedings like a king showing off to his court. The finest white and gold china had been set out for the occasion, the dishes of which he had always found too shallow to hold any meaningful portion of food, especially as a young man growing up in this house. It was here under a cherry tree he had stolen his first kiss with So Ri after school. They had been assigned to work on a project together, and over the course of several weeks his attraction to her grew until he couldn't help himself. He had to ask her out. In retrospect, he could see the traits that had attracted him to her as those which he himself had always lacked—a strong will and a determined spirit, coupled with a quiet beauty only enhanced by her innocent way of looking at the world. It would seem to be those qualities that had attracted his own son to his commoner girlfriend, the one whose name he could never forget after she put Yi Jeong in his place in a restaurant some years before.

'Was he really giving up so easily?' Hyun Sub wondered as he glanced at Yi Jeong, who was conversing quite candidly with Madeleine's father on the subject of foreign art acquisitions. His greeting to Madeleine and her parents had been surprisingly warm and cordial, while Hyun Sub had been as stiff as possible without being rude.

Hyun Sub would yield to power. He always did, but damned if he would act happy about it. His initial affairs had been mostly to get back at his father and only secondarily to fill the void that had been So Ri. Yi Jeong's mother—he couldn't bear to think of her by name nowadays—had been collateral damage. Who could have known she would actually fall for him despite how horribly he treated her? Little did she know that they were now living in the same hell as sitting here across from him was the man who for over two decades had shared a bed with his first love, his only love, who, unlike him, hadn't managed to entirely hide her distaste for the gathering.

"I see not a lot has changed at the old house," So Ri announced, sipping on her glass of red wine. Her comment was directed at Hyun Sub's father, and a hush fell over the table.

"The cherry trees are gone," Hyun Sub replied, opening his mouth before he could stop himself. So Ri glanced at him, and he thought he saw the tiniest blush tint her cheeks.

So Yeong-cheol appeared unfazed.

"Well, sometimes one thing must be cut down to make way for new growth," he commented lightly. "And speaking of new growth, Seong Jae, may I congratulate you on the success of your new resort. We shall have to organize a small trip there to celebrate and get to know each other more intimately."

"You would be my esteemed guests." Seong Jae smiled good-naturedly, too jovially for Hyung Sub's taste.

"To the prosperity of both our houses." Seong Jae raised his glass.

"Yes...and to the blossoming of young love," So Ri added, raising her glass, her eyes boring into the old man's.

So Yeong-cheol reached over and clinked his glass against hers as the others began toasting each other politely.

"To young love," he repeated.

Hyung Sub lifted his own glass carelessly and let the others batter it at will.


	42. Chapter 42

"You didn't have to make that slap _so_ realistic, you know?"

"I'm a method actor, Yi Jeong-ah." Ga Eul adjusted the screen on her laptop so he could see her better. They had decided to talk only by video chats nightly at 9 PM, and it reminded her of their long separation before, especially with Milo curled up on a high top chair in the background. She wished could be curled up in Yi Jeong's arms.

"May I say your methods are a bit extreme?" the man in question asked. Dressed casually in a gray t-shirt and sweatpants, Yi Jeong leaned back in his chair and slowly sipped a glass of water.

"You're one to talk about extreme methods." She scoffed.

He merely raised his eyebrows.

How did he manage to still look so cool in lounge wear?

"So tell me," she continued, "how did the lunch go?"

Yi Jeong shrugged, setting his glass down.

"I suppose you've been around dysfunctional families acting all chummy with each other before?" he commented lightly.

Ga Eul laughed, her glasses sliding incrementally down her nose. She shoved them back up.

"Even commoners have family problems, Sunbae."

"How was school today?" he asked, and she could sense his discomfort with the previous subject.

Not wanting to press him on it at such a late hour, she responded, "Normal, I guess. The kids asked about you. I told them you were a potter, and they wanted you to come to our class and do pottery with us, but I told them you were busy right now doing boring adult stuff."

"Oh, like running a trillion dollar art empire?"

"Exactly."

"While you get to do finger painting?"

"Why don't you try to do finger painting with 30 five-year-olds and see how long it takes them to get paint all over their new school clothes...and your clothes, for that matter?"

"Hmm…I see your point." Yi Jeong grinned. "I don't think you would've have liked having me in your class when I was that age."

"Are you kidding me? I couldn't handle having you in my class _now_. But don't worry. There's already a mini 'you' running around, kissing all the girls and making them cry. His name is Park Seong-Jin. I have a meeting with his parents tomorrow." Ga Eul pulled a face.

"Good luck with that then. I bet he's a saint at home, though. He probably just likes annoying you because he thinks you're pretty."

"That's what my mom said." Ga Eul sighed. Dipping her head, she glanced down at the loose string on her pajamas that her fingers had been toying with.

"Seriously, though, are you okay? You look tired. I'm sorry...about all of this."

Ga Eul looked back up and gave him the tiniest of smiles.

"Do you think it's really going to work?"

Her chest tightened when he paused and glanced studiously downward.

"Well," he began, smiling at her once more, "it's not like I'm going to just hand you over to Park...Park...what's his name again?"

Ga Eul giggled.

"Jeong-ah."

"Jeong-ah...Wait, his name is Jeong-Ah?"

"No, no, no, that's...never mind, Sunbae."

"You're confusing."

"You're rich."

"See...I know that's an insult coming from you."

"It is." Ga Eul nodded affirmatively. "If you were poor, we would not be having this problem."

"If I were poor, you would not be having that necklace you keep twirling around...or that phone or those earrings or that purse over there—"

"Yah...you make it sound like I'm just after your money. I didn't _ask_ for any of those things."

"Then give them back," Yi Jeong mumbled sleepily and yawned. "Next time I'm over there, I'll take everything back. And then I'll take you back and everything else in that damn cramped apartment back, and you can all just live here with me."

"Get some sleep, Yi Jeong-ah."

_I wish you were here._

"Hmm?"

" _Sleep_."

"Will you be in my dreams?"

_I hope so. I hope I'll always be in your dreams._

"I'll be in your dreams, I promise."

"Will you be annoying me in my dreams?"

"Yah...what are you—"

"Just answer the question."

Ga Eul rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I'll be annoying you in your dreams."

"Good." Yi Jeong smiled. "That'll make it seem real. Good night, Ga Eul-yang."

"Good night...Pabo."


	43. Chapter 43

_Yi Jeong caught Madeleine's wrist as she was leaving, trailing some distance behind her parents as she was not too eager to be caught into a conversation with them._

_The potter's hand on her wrist felt foreign. She resisted the urge to shake it off._

_"Madeleine, I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of selecting something for you to wear to the exhibition. Obviously, it would be best if we color coordinate. The dress should be arriving at your father's house later in the week."_

_She had to admit, Yi Jeong was one of the most handsome men she'd ever seen up close, and given that his father had looked almost exactly like him at that age, she couldn't really blame her mother for falling for So Hyun Sub._

_Then Yi Jeong smiled at her, and it reminded her of how Woo Bin used to smile at her when he was trying to charm her into something._

_The thought, fleeting as it was, stunned and embarrassed her, and she pulled her wrist away, uncaring of how it looked._

_"Oh...Oh, why, thank you...I wasn't expecting that."_

_"Of course." Yi Jeong bowed politely. "I will see you there then."_

_Madeleine straightened up and bowed stiffly._

_"See you there," she replied as he began to head inside._

_The way he looked at her had made her feel dirty._

_He had no idea about her and Woo Bin._

_She wondered if his girlfriend...or ex-girlfriend...had made it back to her apartment okay._

_Not that she cared. She must be ill._

_Shit, she was going crazy._

_Suddenly, he turned around again, and, holding her gaze, said, "I'm looking forward to seeing all of your work. I hope as artists we might be able to understand each other. To be honest, I've never quite put on a show like the one we're planning for Saturday. I hope you enjoy it."_

"Understand what?" Madeleine muttered into her glass of white zinfadel.

A knock at her apartment door forced her up from her sofa, where she could have sworn she smelled Woo Bin's cologne.

Woo Bin wasn't at the door, though.

Her mother was.

"Oh, well, please, come in. Make yourself at home," Madeleine intoned as her mother brushed past her and set her dark brown Louis Vuitton purse down on the counter. "Let me guess. You're here to beg me to reconsider." Madeleine gestured widely as she made her way back over to the sofa. "Well, you're about ten years too late."

"Madeleine—"

"You know, you two looked good together today, though not as good as in the pictures. After all, young love is _so_ beautiful."

"I wouldn't know," her mother replied. "Someone did away with my copies years ago."

"Mm, pity." Madeleine stretched herself out so that her legs rested on the coffee table in front of her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her mother surveying the room, distaste spreading over her features. No doubt, she found the trashed state of Madeleine's apartment utterly reprehensible. Perhaps that was good. Perhaps she'd be less inclined to prolong her visit.

To Madeleine's surprise, though, her mother withheld comment except to say, "How many times do I have to tell you it's incredibly rude to put your feet up on tables?"

"Must be the French woman in me coming out."

"And yet you insist on living here."

"Why are _you_ here? I'm surprised you haven't crawled back into your hidey-hole yet. Isn't there too much sunlight in this country for a snake like you?"

Sidestepping until she blocked Madeleine's view of the muted variety show on TV, her mother folded her arms and pursed her lips. Madeleine's mouth quirked into a small smile as she believed she had struck a nerve.

"Listen, I know I wasn't the best 'Omma.' You want to be mad at me for that, then be mad at me. But don't throw your whole life away over how stupid I've been. Don't be a fool!"

"Omma," Madeleine drawled out with fake sweetness, "do you remember when I was in the first grade and we had career day at school? I wanted to be a painter like you. We had this big show and tell in class, and all the parents were supposed to come, but you didn't show, so Abella stood next to me in the pictures."

"What are you going on about now?"

With her thumb, Madeleine swiped at the smudged lipstick on the edge of her wine glass. When she could barely see the dark pink fragments clinging to the delicate glass, she continued, "When I came home, one of the maids told me you had gone to an exhibition. It took me a long time to figure it out, but it was his, wasn't it? 'So Hyun Sub Takes Parisian Art Scene By Storm.' It was in all those newspaper clippings you saved. You still loved him, didn't you? What you were going to do? Leave us and run away with him? I'm not the biggest fool here. You're just angry because finally _you_ have to be this close to something you can never have."

"My dear, one day you're going to grow up and learn to regret too."

"Oh, I'm sure you have loads of regrets," Madeleine muttered. "Shall we start from when you abandoned me at the hospital?"

"Madeleine, there's things you don't know about that family. Do you know why your father wants you to marry Yi Jeong?"

"Because I've been smitten with him ever since I saw his work in Paris," Madeleine replied in an affected tone.

"Don't be ridiculous. Your father might have some genuine affection for you, but he's a businessman through and through."

"Why do you think the old man agreed to it then?" Madeleine brushed her hair behind her shoulder and shrugged. "However Appa bargained for it is his business. But isn't it nice to keep it all in the family?"

"You've got it all figured out then, haven't you? You think because you know that much, you know everything."

"I always find out what I want to know."

A smug smile appeared on So Ri's face.

"And do you _know_ the Song family?"

At the mention of Woo Bin's family, Madeleine's mask of self-assured calm faltered the tiniest bit, but she kept her tone even and answered, "I've heard of them...Oh, yes, don't they own the construction company Appa's been using for his new hotels?"

"Yes, well, look what I found." Crossing over to the kitchen island and then back to the TV, So Ri pulled a file folder out of her purse and slapped it down on the coffee table in front of Madeleine.

Madeleine stared at the offending documents, trying to breathe normally. Were those photos? Did her mother know about her and Woo Bin?

"What is that?"

"That, my dear," her mother continued, "is proof of a conspiracy to steal millions of dollars of priceless art from the So's precious museum and sell it on the black market, replacing the originals with forgeries. It seems to be all worked out between your benevolent Appa and the Songs. The only thing I haven't figured out is what old man So's getting out of it."

Madeleine's head snapped up. She looked directly at her mother for the first time since she'd walked in. That didn't make sense. Woo Bin and Yi Jeong had been best friends since kindergarten. There was no way Woo Bin would allow that to happen. Even she had to admire how loyal he was, even to a fault.

However, she didn't know that their friendship extended to their parents.

"What do you mean?" She narrowed her eyes at her mother.

"My goodness, don't look so shocked. Your father's been dabbling in art forgeries for years."

"How do you know that?"

"Your father talks when he's drunk, and I haven't spent our entire marriage curled up in the fetal position on my bed, thought I'm sure that's what you thought. Here. Take a look for yourself. This is a contract between Song Seung-Heon and your father concerning payment for the movement of certain art acquisitions within his newest resort that we will, so I'm told, soon be vacationing at with your in-laws."

She recognized the name on the contract. It was Woo Bin's uncle, not his father. Not that that meant anything.

"So...what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that if this goes south, it could end up looking really bad for certain parties," Madeleine's mother snapped. "Not to mention the legal trouble we'll be in. But I'm sure you were taking all of that into account when you decided to take your petty little revenge."

* * *

Woo Bin had been staring at the sickening photos for half an hour, sifting through them again and again, trying to piece together where they had been taken, what had happened, why no one had heard about it, and how the hell Madeleine fit into it. The girl lying on the ground—ribbons of cloth sprawled around her—was obviously Ga Eul. Though he could only see one side of Ga Eul's face in the best picture, she was wearing the necklace Yi Jeong had given her. Given that her more private parts—it felt wrong to Woo Bin to even think about them—had been blurred out, Madeleine had meant to use the photos for something. They were all edited, but he couldn't find the originals anywhere, though he'd scoured Madeleine's files for the past few hours.

He'd come to two possibilities. Either Madeleine had taken the photos herself and the originals were on another device, or someone had sent her the already edited versions. As angry as he was getting, he hoped it was the former. That way, at least she was the only person who had seen them.

Maybe.

He had to figure out where those photos had been taken.

He had to talk to Ga Eul.

Now.

* * *

The security footage from the Soleil Grand Ballroom the night of Gu Jun Pyo's engagement party had been easy enough to access for a man of his influence, but So Hyun Sub didn't quite understand why he'd bothered. He'd made a tolerable life of not caring, of not needling into anyone else's business unnecessarily. It wasn't exactly a comfortable life and certainly not a fulfilling one, but he'd long become apathetic to such aspirations.

However, today he had shocked himself by doing something halfway decent.

It just didn't sit right with him—the way Chu Ga Eul had burst upon him that night, interrupting his fairly light tête-a-tête for the evening, her hair a tangled mess and her eyes swollen and red-rimmed. And that coat—commoners might be blind when it comes to fashion, but he certainly hoped they weren't stupid. It was still summer and quite hot, even in the stairwell where he'd taken up his little dalliance.

At any rate, he'd decided he didn't care. It could only be expected of someone of her standing to crumble eventually beneath the weight of his own cruel society.

He still didn't care, he assured himself even as he followed her through the night's events up to the point where some careless waiter spilled wine all over her dress. She panicked, of course—commoners were always panicking over one thing or another—and rushed to the restroom. Then a peculiar thing happened. She didn't come back out, but a familiar face came in. Once with her cronies and once alone. An "Out of Order" sign was set out and removed. Chu Ga Eul walked into the bathroom wearing an elegant ballgown and back out wearing an over-sized trench coat, after which she disappeared into the very stairwell he had appropriated for his own purposes.

A few minutes later, the girl he had been with emerged from the stairwell, looking none too happy. She had been a bit of a bore, he remembered. They all were. Perhaps he needed a new distraction.

Because that's what his interest in the matter was, he assured himself.

Perhaps, out of mere curiosity, he would pay the kindergarten teacher a visit.

* * *

Ga Eul didn't see Yi Jeong in her dreams. She thought with all the stuff happening, she would at least have a nightmare about _him_. But no. Instead, she saw her brother's half-bitten nails running across the frets on his guitar, faint fragments of an original song he had written coming back to her as she stared at the home video her parents were playing. She recognized this scene. It was after her brother's funeral, after the commiserating crowd had gone home, leaving her and her parents to their solitary grief. During the service, she had sobbed. Privately, she had raged. By that point in the evening, she had thrown up all the food their neighbors had brought, what little she had been able to force down. After she had emptied herself, both physically and emotionally, she had sat in front of the couch, transfixed by the taunting images on the TV screen. Her mother had cried the entire night. She didn't bother making Ga Eul go to bed. For the first time in her twelve years of life, Ga Eul had felt grown up, the scars of mourning fresh and blistering her once-tender skin, aging it before its time. In her dream, she felt her stomach twist into painful knots like before, the shock like a bullet hitting her again and again every time she became aware of her surroundings, aware that he was no longer there.

Something should be happening, she thought. Something always _happens_ in dreams. But no. Instead, she was stuck in some sick time warp, reliving the sound of her mother's sobs and the scratchiness of the blanket she had curled up in on the couch. She refused to get up and get another one, to leave the only comfort she had left, harsh as it was, for the cold air.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she listened to the familiar melody weaving between her mother sobs, weaving over and around them and back in to itself.

When her alarm woke her up-her head pounding from the tightness in her jaw and the grinding of her teeth in her sleep-she tried to hum it but couldn't remember.

It took her a moment to realize that she was hearing more than just her alarm. Someone was knocking-no, pounding-on her door like a madman.

Abruptly, Ga Eul shot up in bed and fumbled frantically in the dark for the glasses on her night stand. It couldn't be Yi Jeong, could it? They were supposed to stay away from each other.

But who else would it be at 6 AM?

After stumbling unsteadily to the door in her pajamas, she peered through the peephole to see a rather agitated-looking Woo Bin pacing in front of her apartment door.

She opened the door slowly, sure that he couldn't be visiting her at that hour for any good reason, but before she could get a word out, Woo Bin demanded,

"Ga Eul, is there something you want to tell me?"

Ga Eul nearly stumbled back at his harsh tone.

"W-what?"

Woo Bin held up his phone to where she could clearly see herself on the screen, covered in scraps of what had been a beautiful ballgown.


	44. Chapter 44

"What?" Ga Eul repeated dumbly. The picture of herself faded to black as Woo Bin's screen went into sleep mode.

Bringing his arm down, Woo Bin continued, "Where was this taken? And don't try to lie because I'm not leaving here until I get a straight answer. I don't care if you miss work."

Drawing in a shaky breath, Ga Eul moved out of the doorway so he could step inside.

"Come in, Sunbae," she said quietly.

Closing the door behind him, she guided him to sit down on her sofa. Woo Bin set his phone down on the coffee table, face up, as if the lingering picture might jog her memory.

"Well?" he looked up at her expectantly after she had joined him on the couch, not so much sitting there as leaning on the edge of it, her hands gripping the cushion beneath her as though she might topple over at any moment.

"Ga Eul."

"I...um...where did you get that photo?" she asked.

"Where I got it isn't important. How about you start explaining it?"

Ga Eul nodded, unable to look at him.

"It was the night of Jan Di's engagement party," she began quietly. "Towards the end. Jan Di and Jun Pyo Sunbae were still greeting guests. I was going to say goodbye to them before I left, but then a waiter spilled wine on my dress, and I thought I should probably go to the bathroom and clean it off. It was such a nice dress. I didn't want to ruin it."

"Go on."

"Well...I was just standing in the bathroom by the sink, trying to clean it, when these three girls came in. I didn't feel...comfortable...so I tried to leave, but then one of them grabbed my arm and said...some insulting things to me. It was strange. She already knew about me and Yi Jeong Sunbae. I tried to leave again, but they threw me down, and then two of them held me down while the third girl ripped off my dress and cut it to pieces...And that's it." She finished the last few sentences rapidly, eager to be rid of them. In that moment, she had felt so vulnerable, so exposed, that reliving it for someone else embarrassed her, though she knew she hadn't done anything wrong.

When she finally looked at Woo Bin, he looked like he might punch a hole in the wall behind her.

"Sunbae?"

"Fucking hell, Ga Eul, why didn't you tell one of us?!"

"I was completely naked, Sunbae! Except for my underwear. It's not like I could really go anywhere. Besides with the press and everything—" Ga Eul rubbed her arms. She'd started shaking just thinking about that night.

"How did you get back home?"

"Someone came in and left their coat. I used it to cover myself."

Woo Bin swore again, softer this time but with the same threat of vengeance.

"Yi Jeong wasn't there," he muttered.

"That's right. That was the night he got...held up by his grandfather."

"Did his grandfather send someone—"

"Aniyo." Ga Eul stared hard at a small stain on her pajama pants, a lump growing in her throat. The muscles in her back burned with tension.

"Who then? Do you know who did this?"

She nodded, unsure if she could get the words out.

"Then say it. Who the hell did this to you?!"

"I...I'm sorry, Sunbae."

"Who is it?!"

Ga Eul shifted back on the couch a bit and looked straight into his eyes.

He did deserve to know the truth after all.

She hoped it wouldn't break him.

"Yi...Madeleine."

* * *

"Come again?" Hyun Sub asked. He'd taken a slight detour on his way to see Chu Ga Eul. The waiter that had spilled wine on her dress still worked events at the ballroom, and it had been just Hyun Sub's luck to find him working at a conference there this fine morning.

Idiot. If she had been anything but a commoner, he would have already been fired. In fact, Hyun Sub had quite a mind to demand his dismissal now, but it occurred to Hyun Sub that he might put the young man's precarious position to good use for his own purposes.

"Yi Madeleine," the waiter repeated nervously, his eyes lowered to Hyun Sub's shoes. "She called me over to her about halfway through the party and told me she'd pay me...more than I make in a month...if I'd spill wine on one of Geum Jan Di's friends. At first I didn't want anything to do with it, but she insisted no one would care. She said that person...was a nobody...So when everyone was distracted up front, I...um...I made my move."

Hyun Sub frowned. He could easily reason out why Madeleine might attack Ga Eul, but how had she done it? What exactly had happened in that restroom?

"I'm not in the habit of taking bribes, sir," the waiter added quickly. "It's just that my poor mother is sick—"

Hyun Sub waved the remark away.

"That will be all," he commanded. "Although, if you would like to keep your job for your poor sick mother, it would be best for you to forget we have spoken. Understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"And one more thing."

"Sir?"

Hyun Sub kneed the unsuspecting waiter firmly in the groin, smirking satisfactorily when he doubled over on the ground.

* * *

It was nearly 7:00 AM when Hyun Sub arrived at Ga Eul's apartment, intent on catching her on her way to work. Parking his car near the front entrance to the complex, he waited for her for a few minutes inside the car until, feeling stifled, and with a strange sense of restless rage, he got out and began pacing in front of the building. Digging a cigarette out of his pocket, he stood off to the side as a sudden barrage of tenants spilled out of the building on their way to work and school. A few kids jostled each other as they ran toward the street, their laughter carrying over the chatter of office workers greeting each other or speaking distractedly into their cellphones. Oh, to be young and free again.

The cigarette wasn't helping him to calm down. It had felt good to make the waiter suffer. Sure, he saw the hypocrisy in his righteous indignation, but he didn't care. Ga Eul reminded him too much of So Ri in her youth –such a vulnerable, delicate flower, spirited but ultimately powerless. He couldn't erase his past mistakes, but perhaps he could atone for them.

Thankfully, he didn't have to wait much longer for the object of his soul's salvation to emerge, hot on the heels of Song Woo Bin. The latter's countenance looked like hell itself about to boil over. She grabbed Woo Bin's arm just as he stepped off the sidewalk, and he jerked out of her grasp but turned back toward her, directing the fire in his eyes to the building behind her.

Ducking behind a small tree near the entryway, Hyun Sub watched their brief but heated exchange.

"Sunbae, what are you going to do?"

"Don't worry about it. This is between me and Madeleine."

"Are you going to tell Yi Jeong?"

"Don't you think he deserves to know?!"

"Of course he does. That's not what I meant. I just meant that I...I want to tell him first. Please don't tell him. I hate the fact that I lied to him. I just...I didn't know how to say that with you there. And you...well, you never told him either. Did you, Sunbae? You never told him about you and Madeleine. Why not?"

"I don't know. Maybe I felt like an idiot. Maybe I thought she would get hurt. Well, I was right. She is going to get hurt. Only it's going to be me who does it."

Neither one of them said anything for a minute. A few more people came out of the building and brushed past them.

"Don't worry, Sunbae." Ga Eul broke the silence, her tone one of comfort. I'm sure Yi Jeong will understand."

Woo Bin shook his head.

"I don't know. But whatever happens, don't worry about me. You just make sure you and Yi Jeong stay together, all right? You two will get through this. You've already made it this far."

"Thank you, Sunbae. Be careful, all right?"

"I've got to go. You better go get dressed for work."

Nodding, Ga Eul stepped away from him, and Hyun Sub watched their respective retreats until Woo Bin peeled away in his shiny new yellow Lotus into the busy morning traffic.

For a long moment after Ga Eul went back inside, Hyun Sub stood there, wondering which party to approach first.

Finally deciding on the wounded lover, he got back in his car and dialed Woo Bin's number, long tucked away in phone for emergency purposes. As expected, it went to voicemail, and he left a short message. _Perhaps the two of them might exchange favors?_

How ironic it was that to save his soul he would have to hurt the only woman he ever loved.

Cruelly and again.


	45. Chapter 45

_The call came before her first period of the day had begun, and_ _Madeleine_ _excused herself to the bathroom when she recognized the voice on the other end of the phone as Abella's daughter,_ _Rene_ _é_ _,_ _whom she had met on several occasions over the years._

_Hearing her voice made Madeleine's heart skip a beat, then settle into an excited cadence despite the guilt gnawing away at her. Madeleine hadn't seen the old woman in two years, ever since Abella had picked her up at the police station after Madeleine had been caught shoplifting. Madeleine hadn't stopped shoplifting—it had become a bit of an obsession, the cheap thrill of it—and Abella hadn't attempted to contact her after that._

_Not that Madeleine had attempted to contact her either. As selfish as it was, rather than apologize, she'd been waiting futilely for Abella to contact her first, to set their relationship back to wherever it was before that argument had taken place._

_However, as Abella's daughter continued talking, her voice cracking over her words, all of Madeleine's excuses suddenly seemed shallow at best and cruel at worst._

_Ignoring the bell that had rung for first period to begin, she ran out of the bathroom and out of the double doors to the side of the school. Then she walked numbly, dragging herself in the direction of her house, while Reneé's voice played over and over in her ears._

_Two words._

_Cancer._

_Funeral._

_Collapsing on a park bench, the shock consuming her slowly erupted from her throat in a violent wail. How long she stayed there, shaking uncontrollably, her tear-soaked face chafing in the winter wind, she didn't know. She didn't know how long she wandered through the cold city streets, hollowly gazing at the occasional stranger who asked if she needed help, until she finally reached her house, the house that held her first memories of Abella._

_Abella teaching her to bake cookies, guiding her hands through the soft dough until they formed every type of animal she could imagine._

_Abella kissing her scabbed knees and applying sparkly silver band aids to them._

_Abella bribing her with candies to make her finish all of her vegetables._

_Abella helping her with her homework, despite her own limited education._

_Abella rocking her to sleep long after Madeleine was technically too old to be rocked to sleep, her soft voice soothing away all thoughts of monsters under the bed._

_'Mon petit chou, nothing will hurt you now. I'm right here. Nothing will hurt you.'_

" _I heard you skipped school again today," Madeleine's mother snapped as she walked in the door._

_Ignoring her, Madeleine headed for the stairs leading upstairs to her bedroom, intent on sobbing under her sheets for the rest of the evening. Perhaps for the rest of her life. She wished she could disappear entirely._

" _This is unacceptable, young lady. Do you hear me? Do you have any idea how lucky you are to be receiving such a good education? And what do you do? Needlessly steal things from stores? Sneak out with a new boy every night? You're failing most of your classes. Even your art tutor says you need more discipline. This is all your father's fault. If he hadn't indulged you so much when—"_

_Her mother stopped when she saw her tear-streaked face._

" _Did something happen?"_

_For a moment, she looked almost worried, almost like a real mother._

" _Did you know?" Madeleine asked._

" _Did I know what?"_

" _About Abella." Madeleine wiped her face on her uniform sleeve. "Did you know she was dying?" She took a step towards her mother. "Huh? Did you? Did you know she was fucking dying?!" she shouted._

" _Language, Madeleine!"_

" _Oh, fuck you. You knew, didn't you? That's why you gave her that huge bonus and told her to leave!"_

" _She asked to leave!"_

" _And you didn't think to tell me—"_

" _She didn't want you to know!"_

" _I don't believe you. You shut her up! You've always been jealous of her!"_

" _Don't be ridiculous. What could she possibly have that I—"_

" _Me! She had me! I was her daughter!"_

" _Yi Hye Jin—"_

" _My name is Madeleine!"_

" _Hye Jin is the name on your birth certificate!"_

" _That's not the only name that's wrong on my birth certificate!"_

" _Take that back."_

" _No. Never."_

_"Take it back!"_

_"When you bring her back from the dead, I'll take it back! That's right._ _She's dead. And you know what? I wish I was too. Wouldn't you just love that, Omma?"_

" _Don't be ridiculous, Madeleine. Why would I ever want that? Why don't you calm down, and let's sit—"_

" _Calm down? You want me to calm down?! You let the only person who ever cared about me suffer like hell for five years, and you didn't even tell me! Not even at the end. You just...let her die. But don't worry, Omma, because I'm going to spend the rest of my life making sure you regret this. And then you might be shocked at what you want."_

Madeleine flinched as the maid pricked with her with the safety pin she was discreetly sticking into the fabric beneath Madeleine's armpits. Snapping at her to watch it, Madeleine wondered again at So Yi Jeong's choice of her dress for tonight's affair. Blood red, the floor length, open back sheer lace and silk confection would certainly make a statement, but she wasn't sure if it was the type of statement they should be going for given the more natural, muted tones of the exhibition.

Not to mention, it seemed a bit at odds with Yi Jeong's apparent taste for more innocent things.

But maybe he was trying to distance himself from that.

Something she could definitely relate to.

_The funeral was held in a rather poor section of the city—a small, intimate gathering of family and friends Madeleine had heard stories about over the years. She came right when the service began and left right after it ended, her dark sunglasses pulled over her face so no one could see her tears and wonder at the strange Korean teenager crying silently in the back of the church._

As Madeleine gazed at her reflection in the dressing room mirror, she thought if Abella could see her now, she'd regret being her mother in any sense of the word. She had spiraled a bit too far this time, and it seemed like the people who would be paying for it the most were the people who deserved it the least.

Abella had been right. There were no monsters under the bed.

The monster was Madeleine herself.


	46. Chapter 46

Readjusting his crimson tie with clammy hands, Yi Jeong stood in the center of the exhibition hall—the main attraction of what had been touted throughout the media as a revitalization of the museum's cultural relevance and national importance. Plans for a new wing of modern art had been revealed earlier in the week, and Yi Jeong's newest exhibition was, as one news source had put it, "a shining example of the museum's ability to reinvent itself with the times, reaching outward to artistic influences all over the world and inward to the talented youths of the nation."

A lifetime ago, he'd relished the glamour of the spotlight. He'd loved how he could shape people's affections and perceptions to his advantage. Tonight, their beckoning stares felt foreign, and while he couldn't deny he felt proud of what he'd accomplished and created in the past four years, draped in elegance for the occasion, he could no more enjoy the attention than he had enjoyed Monday's lamentable luncheon.

No, the So heir was distracted. Distracted and torn between punching his fist into the ornate marble column behind him and disappearing into one of the storage rooms to drink himself into oblivion. He honestly didn't know if he could go through with tonight. It was hard enough dodging the reporters' questions about his personal life without appearing to be hiding something.

Apparently, he hadn't been the only one hiding things.

They'd both lied to him. Had lied to his face. Woo Bin and Ga Eul. The two people he trusted most in the world had both withheld crucial information in a situation where withholding any information at all could result in a serious misstep.

Yi Jeong absently greeted a few passing guests.

Ga Eul perhaps he could understand. She was, despite her many amazing qualities, still a bit naive about the inner workings of the upper class. She'd been given quite a shock at the hands of the crazy bitch he was supposed to marry, and she'd said that she thought Madeleine might retaliate if she told anyone.

He supposed Woo Bin must have been given quite a shock too, but like hell would he let him off easy because of it. They were brothers. He'd thought they'd shared everything. He'd even told Woo Bin about his affection for Ga Eul long before anyone else knew—including her. Yet for almost four years Woo Bin had been seeing this woman, and he'd neglected to tell anyone. Anyone at all. Their conversation from the day before played over in his head as he accepted a glass of champagne from a waiter.

" _Do you realize what you've done?!"_

" _I've been trying to figure out what I've done...I've been trying to figure out what she must have wanted with me. She must have known we were close. I've been trying to remember what I told her."_

" _And?!"_

" _She never mentioned you. Not once. I'm sure of it."_

" _Not that you would have noticed that while—"_

" _I swear if I thought she meant to hurt any of you, I would never have—"_

" _And yet when you knew what she had done, you said nothing!"_

" _I didn't know what to...or how to...but in any case you can be grateful for it now."_

" _Why should I be grateful for that?"_

" _Because I doubt your grandfather will like his choice of bride so much once he sees who she really is."_

Yi Jeong supposed he ought to feel guilty knowing what Woo Bin was planning. For years, he had stood up for him against anyone who would dare to criticize his family background or utter a single word against him. And now he was condoning Woo Bin's destruction of himself, abetting it even.

Maybe he wasn't so much mad at Woo Bin as he was at himself for dragging everyone he cared about through this mess, but there was nothing to do for it now. He could only hope they'd all make it through. Just like Jan Di and Jun Pyo.

* * *

It seemed that everyone who was anyone had turned out for Yi Jeong's welcome home exhibition. Models, movie stars, businessmen, socialites, and art critics alike had trickled in during the earlier hours of the evening, but now the crowd was arriving en masse and flooding the front of the exhibit where Madeleine's paintings had been decorously hung in their most advantageous positions given the harsh lighting. Now a small orchestra had begun playing near the entrance to the grand room in the heart of the museum. Once her parents had wandered off to chat with some well-wishers and she was left alone with the museum's curator chatting tiresomely by her side, she occupied herself with studying the arriving guests to see who she knew. A few of her father's business partners filtered through the crowd, mingling with important people from other companies. A few people she recognized from Shinwa University, drifting from display to display along with their parents or significant others. Then another familiar face appeared, an achingly familiar face, dressed in a dark gray suit and a burgundy tie, his diamond cuff links and the diamond earring in his right ear glinting in the light from the chandeliers.

Madeleine's nerves had been getting the better of her from the moment she'd put on her dress, and now, though she had barely eaten anything since breakfast, she felt like emptying what little her stomach contained into the planter that had been positioned next to her landscapes for dramatic effect.

_Shit._

Why was he walking towards her?

Looking straight at her.

Turning, she nearly crashed into a waiter holding a platter of champagne glasses.

How ironic. She twisted her lips as she righted herself.

Unfortunately, the movement only forced her to meet Song Woo Bin head on.

Giving her a surprisingly pleasant smile, he bowed formally to her and the curator.

"Ah, Yi Madeleine may I introduce Song Woo Bin, a very good friend of So Yi Jeong's. Since childhood, I believe."

Madeleine parted her lips ever-so-slightly but had no time to reply before the curator suddenly excused himself to speak to someone else. He rushed away, leaving nothing but the plaintive violin music and the general cacophony of sound to fill the awkwardness.

"I'm sorry," Woo Bin took up where the curator had left off. "I don't think we've had the pleasure of meeting before at any...events."

"You know who I am," Madeleine said quietly.

"Hardly," Woo Bin replied, but his expression remained neutral. Hailing a waiter, he got a glass of champagne for himself and handed one to her as he commented on her beautiful painting style, making a big show of it for the people walking by them.

She wished more than anything for him to go away.

She wished to disappear herself.

She knew she should have gotten something to drink sooner.

"You know," he continued in a quieter tone once the crowd around them had dispersed, "He's right. I have known Yi Jeong since kindergarten. We've been best friends since...well, since, the day we got into a fight in the sandbox."

"Mmm, that's...nice." Madeleine swallowed tightly. She had a great suspicion he knew nothing about his uncle's plan to rob the So family blind.

"Yes, it is, isn't it?" Woo Bin positioned himself beside her just as the curator had done so that they were both looking out over the sea of socialites. "We stuck together all these years. Him. Me. Gu Jun Pyo. Yoon Ji Hoo. In high school, we were known as the F4. I'm sure you've—"

"So I've heard." Her fingers shaking, Madeleine took a rather unladylike gulp of champagne.

"I can't say I'm proud of everything we did at that time," Woo Bin continued in the same neutral tone, as though he was explaining how to mix paint pigments. "We used to bully a lot of other students for cheap laughs. But it was all very organized. We developed a regular system with it."

Madeleine sipped more of her champagne, restlessly searching the crowd for a reasonable excuse to escape his company.

"You see," he continued, turning toward her so that he had her blocked in between himself, the planter, and the wall, "at the beginning of the school day, the victim would open their locker, and out would fall a red card, red as blood." His tone darkened. "That was our marking system. That was how all the other students knew whose life they should make a living hell."

"Well, how very mafia-esque of you," Madeleine intoned, not meeting his gaze directly. "Let the rest of the students do your dirty work."

Taking a few more steps toward her, Woo Bin sent her backing against the wall, and she had a flashback to him pinning her against the wall in the dressing room. This was the second time she had been this close to him without actually touching him. She might have mistaken the gleam in his eyes for lust if she didn't know him. It was predatory but not from desire. This time, he was simply angry.

"What are you doing?" she hissed. She felt people's stares on them as he leaned in closer to her, almost like he might kiss her.

She felt his breath on her ear as he whispered, "It's what you did that you should be worried about."

"What?"

Woo Bin straightened himself up and stepped away from her.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. These days I prefer to do my own dirty work." He winked at her. "Nice dress."

Then he vanished through another suffocating wave of people coming to cloister around her.

* * *

Far away from the chatter of the critics and the press alike, Ga Eul sat tensely on a leather chair in So Hyun Sub's study, dressed in a gauzy pale pink gown, her hair cascading down her shoulders in loose curls the way it had looked the night of her first fake date with Yi Jeong. The simple dress and hairstyle, along with the minimal makeup she wore tonight, brought out her "natural beauty and innocence," or so Woo Bin had explained. As she understood it, they intended to get the press behind her and against the Yi family. Woo Bin hadn't quite explained to her how they would manage the latter, but from the look on his face, she could tell he was about to do something that would shatter his own heart into pieces again. If only he hadn't loved her.

If only she hadn't pretended to love him.

Because she had pretended, hadn't she? Maybe she had felt remorse in that dressing room what seemed like an eternity ago, but Ga Eul was convinced that Yi Madeleine could never have really loved him. Not with the way she had set him up so cruelly.

Ga Eul's instructions for the evening had been as simple as her attire: Come in through the back entrance to So Hyun Sub's office. Wait there until Woo Bin led her to the main hall for what they had termed 'the big reveal.'

The tall, buff bodyguard to whose care she had been entrusted loomed over her, his presence silent yet imposing.

She wished he would leave.

She wanted to be alone with her thoughts. Alone with Yi Jeong the way they had been in Sweden. But the outside world crowded around them, and if she didn't hold onto him tightly, she knew it would only crowd her out.

He had been horribly upset when she finally told him what had really transpired the night of the engagement party. She could only imagine how much worse his fury must have been toward Woo Bin.

This wasn't how she had imagined his return to Korea, and the tension between the three of them seemed worse than the uncertainty of what their actions tonight would unleash on all of their families.

* * *

Everything was going according to plan, So Yeong-cheol assured himself.

Tonight an engagement would be announced. Tomorrow there would be great rejoicing. In due course, there would be great shock to learn that the Yi family had stabbed their own future in-laws in the back, and So Yeong-cheol's own secret would be safe. The old man pretended to listen to his assistant prattle on about the arrangements for tonight's private auction while he surveyed the crowd, not looking for anyone in particular but gauging people's expressions.

An expression is worth a thousand words.

Much to his surprise, Hyun Sub was not only present and completely sober but had insisted on making the opening remarks himself as the 'public face of the museum.' A sort of passing the baton or some other nonsense. A year earlier, Yeong-cheol might have protested, but the opening remarks had to be made from a raised platform, and his knees…

To be honest, his only son hadn't made a terrible mess of it as he did with most things involving the media. Yeong-cheol had lost count of how many times he'd had to interfere to keep his son's widespread affairs from going public. Tonight, however, even the other members of the board of directors appeared mildly impressed with his efforts.

"Now, without further ado, the young master So Yi Jeong would like to say a few words himself," Hyun Sub concluded, bringing Yeong-cheol's attention back to his son as he stepped down from the podium.

Yeong-cheol frowned. This wasn't how they had planned it.

Yi Jeong made his way up to the podium, making eye contact with his father as he passed, and a flash of something passed between them. He noticed that Yi Jeong's childhood friends had crowded around the small stage at different points, and, oddly, they weren't standing together. Yoon Ji Hoo stood off to the left, and Gu Jun Pyo with his insufferable excuse for a wife stood in the very front middle. Jun Pyo's sister had positioned herself to the right. But no Song Woo Bin in sight, though he knew he had seen him earlier. Perhaps no one else would think anything of it, but Yeong-cheol could sense expectancy in the air, and he didn't like it.

"First of all, I would like to thank my family, my friends, my tutors here and abroad, the staff here at the museum, the board of directors, and all of you who came here to support this long-awaited event tonight. Without all of you, this event would not be possible." Yi Jeong paused, and the crowd applauded. Yeong-cheol answered a few congratulatory nods with a brief nod of his own.

Where had Hyun Sub gotten away to?

"I learned a lot in these past four years, but the most important lesson I learned was not about art itself. It was about appreciating the people who have supported me, especially during a time four years ago when I was unsure if I would ever practice my art again. It has been a long road, but here we are. So thank you. Thank you all. This exhibition is from my heart to you."

Another round of applause.

It was enough, Yeong-cheol thought, so why did he look like he still had more to say?

"There is one person here tonight that I would like to thank more than most. This person is an artist in their own right—someone whose canvas is the world, who makes everything they touch vibrant and beautiful. This person believed in me when I had lost all faith in myself, in my ability to create anything of substance. They envisioned everything that you see here today long before my hands touched the clay, and it is them I would like to direct your praise toward. Most importantly, this person is the love of my life who I would like to introduce to you all tonight as my future wife, my fianceé"—Yi Jeong paused, and looked in Yeong-Cheol's direction as though he were looking only at him—"Chu Ga Eul."

* * *

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" So Ri snatched her arm away from Hyun Sub as soon as they reached the rooftop.

"I thought you might enjoy the view," he commented without humor. "It hasn't changed so much after all these years."

"Well, please don't tell me you dragged me away from my husband _in plain sight_ to reminisce."

Adjusting her black, off-the-shoulder gown, So Ri nonetheless headed away from the door they had come through and toward the far end of the roof, her black heels clacking, where she paused to look out over the city lights, a canvas of stars against the blue-black sky. Her shoulder-length hair—dyed a deep auburn for the occasion and accented with diamond hairpins—rustled against her bare neck in the chilly evening breeze.

She looked like a queen.

He preferred her clothed in simple things.

He stepped over to the roof's edge but kept a respectable distance between them.

Clearing her throat, she asked, "Well, since you have me up here...what did you want to tell me?"

Hyun Sub procured a cigarette from his pocket and lit it up.

"He knows."

"Who knows what?" So Ri waved away the smoke drifting in her direction, coughing softly. "Must you?"

"Sorry." Hyun Sub snubbed the cigarette underfoot. "Habit."

"I have no interests in your habits. Why don't you spit out whatever it is you know before I, too, take up my familial duties downstairs?"

"Your husband's little deal with Song Min Ho. My father knows."

So Ri stiffened almost imperceptibly.

"Knows what?"

"Don't tell me you didn't know about the forgeries. Don't try to lie to me. You always were a horrible liar."

"Oh, and you were always a great one."

"Was this to get back at me? But I never took you for the vengeful type. Though you've changed."

"We've all changed. Whether we want to or not, we change."

"Look at me, and tell me you knew nothing about it."

"Of course I didn't know!" So Ri snapped. She turned to face him, the heavy jewels on her neck glittering in the artificial light. "Not until a few days ago. You think I want anything to do with your family? I don't care if you live or die. I told you, this whole thing was a huge mistake. Knowing my husband, the wheels of misfortune are already spinning," she finished bitterly.

"You know what will happen if this gets out. I don't know what my father is planning to do with that information, but I can guarantee it will come out sooner rather than later."

"What do you mean?"

"If you can, I'd suggest getting on the first plane back to Paris."

"Why?" She asked, her eyes narrowing. "What did you do?"

"I suspect if you go downstairs right about now"—Hyun Sub glanced at his watch—"you'll find out."

* * *

The overhead lights assaulted her eyes, and a sea of faces spun before her as Ga Eul emerged from the inner corridors of the museum to the very center of the exhibition hall, where Yi Jeong had just finished his speech. Dazed, she gripped Woo Bin's arm as he escorted her up to the podium, nearly tripping up the stairs as she went.

_Smile, you pabo_ , she scolded herself. _Don't be nervous. Don't be weak._

She knew the risk he had just taken for her. The looks of confusion and astonishment didn't escape her as she materialized out of nowhere to stand by his side. Woo Bin transferred her over to Yi Jeong, and immediately the press crowded around them and began assaulting Yi Jeong with questions. Ga Eul pasted what she hoped was a charitable but nonchalant expression on her face, though she knew Yi Jeong could probably feel her nails digging into his arm. By accident, her gaze landed on his grandfather, who looked like murder incarnate, and then on Madeleine, who looked surprisingly as nervous as she did. Then she felt a slender arm link through hers, and she looked up to see Jan Di on her other side. Looking over, she realized that Gu Jun Pyo had come to stand on the other side of Yi Jeong, and on the other side of him Ji Hoo Sunbae. Woo Bin had never left the stage, and he put his arm around Jan Di. Suddenly, they were all there .

They were there with the whole world watching them.

But they had their arms around each other.

Maybe they were holding each other up.


	47. Chapter 47

**Inside Today's Issue of _Troublemaker_ :**

**"Potter Prodigy So Yi Jeong to Wed Kindergarten Teacher Chu Ga Eul"**

Read it and weep ladies! Korea's favorite Casanova is officially tying the knot! Guests at the Woo Sung Museum for So Yi Jeong's homecoming exhibition were treated to a surprise announcement by the potter and playboy extraordinaire—or, should we say, ex-playboy? The 120 million won reception on Saturday evening featured the artwork of French-Korean artist Yi Madeleine and a guest performance by Wendy of Red Velvet, but the highlight of the evening was So Yi Jeong's announcement of his engagement to his secret longtime girlfriend Chu Ga Eul, a kindergarten teacher at Namsan Kindergarten. Dressed in a pale pink floor-length Dior gown, the graceful beauty appeared completely at ease sharing the stage with her soon-to-be-husband, who looked sharp as ever in a black Valentino suit. Chu is a childhood friend of Shinwa heir Gu Jun Pyo's fiancée, Geum Jan Di.

A few close friends, notably Gu Jun Pyo, Yoon Ji Hoo, and Song Woo Bin, joined them for pictures following the announcement in an open show of support.

Song Woo Bin spoke on the couple's great happiness and devotion to each other during their four-year-long relationship.

So Yi Jeong's father and art legend, So Hyun Sub, confirmed that the happy couple met through "mutual friends" six years ago.

Should we expect a double wedding? Gu Jun Pyo vocalized his congratulations and support of the couple in a brief statement at the event. Gu's own wedding is expected to take place sometime early next year, and So hinted at a similar timing during his comments at the exhibition. However, an exact date has not yet been confirmed by his publicist.

So Yeong-cheol, head of the museum, declined to comment.

**"Korea's Don Juan Song Woo Bin Woos French-Korean Hotel Heiress"  
**

Are more wedding bells in the air? Sources have confirmed that Song Woo Bin, heir to the Song construction empire, and French artist Yi Madeleine, heiress to the Adonis hotel chain, have been dating for over 3 years. Their relationship began shortly after Yi began her studies at Shinwa University, where Song also attended.

The two may have met through their parental connections. Song construction has been an exclusive contractor for the Adonis hotel chain during their foray into the Korean market.

The couple has been very careful to keep their relationship under wraps, but an unknown source has leaked photos of the young lovers in various clubs and restaurants around Seoul and in a few cozy shots from what appears to be the inside of Song's apartment in Cheongdam-dong.

The couple appeared deep in conversation during this shot at the exhibition on Sunday, and several guests recalled Song's high praise of Yi's work. Yi looked positively stunning in a blood red Givenchy gown designed for the event.


	48. Chapter 48

At a quarter to three, Seong Jae burst into her bedroom just as So Ri finished throwing the last of her clothing into a large suitcase. Her perfumes, shoes, makeup, and personal effects lay scattered all over the bed and the floor. After the suprise announcement of Yi Jeong's engagement to his secret girlfriend, she'd sneaked out of the media frenzy as soon as possible. Arriving at Seong Jae's house, she'd thrown open all her drawers and emptied them, one by one, her movements sloppy and rushed. Her efforts to contact Madeleine had been for naught. Stupid girl had her phone turned off. She supposed she'd have to go by Madeleine's apartment on the way to the airport and drag her out.

She'd been trying to put a finger on the reason for the anger coursing through her. She'd gotten what she wanted, at least in part, but now she felt more frustrated than she had at the beginning of the night.

Because So Yeong-cheol knew what Seong Jae had been planning, and now they were more vulnerable than ever if they stayed here.

Because now both of them were angry, and there was no telling what would happen to anyone involved.

Because for a split second she thought she saw herself up on that stage, twenty years younger.

Because she had needed him to be brave for her, and he had failed her.

Because he had failed her, and she was on the losing end again.

"What are you doing?" Seong Jae slurred, leaning against the bedroom door.

"What does it look like?"

"Running off to be with your ex-lover? Or should I drop the ex?"

"I'm going back to Paris."

"Like hell you are."

"Well, I'm certainly not going to stick around here to clean up the mess you've created." Shoving her suitcase closed, she clicked the lock shut and smoothed down her skirt.

"You knew about this, didn't you?" Seong Jae rounded on her, pushing her back into the dresser, causing some of her jewelry to slip to the floor. Crushing a bracelet underfoot, she pushed him off of her. His suit reeked of liquor, the cheap kind.

"I went to the bathroom for five minutes, and when I got back the whole place—"

"You were with him, weren't you? What he did say? Was that freak show back there his idea?"

So Ri scoffed.

"He said the old man is onto us. He knows everything! But you were so careful with all your little details, weren't you? Even I didn't know. Well, it's over. We've got no reason to wait around hoping he won't expose us. And he will. I'm leaving. Now."

Grabbing her arm so hard it hurt, he forced it away from the handle of her carry-on.

"See that's where you're wrong. You don't know what the old man bargained with for that marriage arrangement. You don't know what he's got to lose."

"So Yeong-cheol never has anything to lose."

"How about his reputation? His financial security? His legacy? How would everyone like to find out his precious museum's nothing but a sham?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm not the only one who dabbles in forgeries, my dear."

So Ri slapped his hand away.

"What?"

"And then there is that little matter of your history with his son. But that was just the icing on the cake."

"You told him?...You told him?! You bastard!" So Ri lunged at him, aiming at his chest with her fists only to be stopped by his hands on her wrist. Twisting her arms back towards her, they engaged in a heated tug of war for some moments before he pushed her back into the dresser again. A sharp pain shot up her back, and she kicked at his leg until he pinned her more firmly so that she was wedged between him and the dresser.

"I wonder...Does So Hyun Sub know?" Seong Jae continued, his voice deceptively calm.

"You bastard. You promised!"

"You promised yourself to me, but you never wanted me, did you?" He dropped his voice lower, and she flinched when his breath tickled her ear. "Tell me, when we made love, did you close your eyes and imagine him?"

"Stop it."

"When you met him at the hotel the other night, did you go down on him like a common whore? Don't look so surprised. It's my business to know who comes and goes out of my own hotel. Or for that matter, my own wife."

"What if I did?" So Ri spat. "Are you going to do something about it? What? You want me to get down on my knees and beg forgiveness?"

"You ought to be down on your knees thanking me! I married you when no one else would have, and you know it. I raised his son in my own damn house!"

"Oh, aren't you just the Good Samaritan! I know damn well what you married me for. Tell me. Did you always intend to blackmail the old man? Or was it just my father's money you were after?"

"Well, it certainly wasn't your winning disposition."

"And now you're punishing me. That's what this is, isn't it?"

"Do you know how much I had to lie each time you had a nervous breakdown? And it was him you were crying over the whole time. Wasn't it? Wasn't it?!" He shook her and swung her around so that her back faced the bed.

"I hate you." she choked out. "I hate you so much I could kill you."

"Say it! Tell me you're still in love with him!"

"I hate you! I hate him! I hate everyone! Why can't you just leave me alone?!"

Seong Jae gripped her shoulders harder, and the blood rushed to his face.

"Oh hit me why don't you?! Go ahead!" she cried out, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. "Or why don't you just...like you did...like you did..."

He squeezed her tighter, his hands trembling and his forehead creased with rage. Just when she thought he might actually do it, he released her.

She collapsed on the bed, unable to finish the sentence. Rubbing at the stitches on the quilted bedspread, she tried to swallow the memory back down with the bile rising in her throat. Her eyes squeezed shut, then opened again.

"It takes two, my dear." Seong Jae said quietly, his black dress shoes receding on the carpet beneath her.

When So Ri looked up, he had his hand on the door handle.

"I hope your daughter knows what you're capable of by the end of this," she whispered. "And I hope she hates you for it."

Seong Jae merely stared, meeting the challenge in her gaze with evident amusement.

When he at last disappeared into the hallway, shutting the door much too quietly behind him, she let out a labored breath she didn't know she'd been holding, the gasp hollow and much too loud in the empty room, like a pinprick in her vacant heart.

* * *

_Stumbling in her heels, Ga Eul nearly crashed into Yi Jeong when he paused at the door to his apartment and fished his keys out of his suit pocket. She felt like she had been walking on needles—both literally and metaphorically—all night, and now she only wanted to take these blistering heels off and fall into a deep, numbing sleep. Unfortunately, the awkwardness between her and Yi Jeong had only grown during the car ride back to his apartment, where she would be spending the night. He'd said three words to her the entire time and only to ask if she was cold._

_It was cold, she thought, following him inside. He must be mad at her still, though his face gave nothing away._

_Or maybe just tired, she thought again, noting the sluggish way he shrugged off his shoes and coat._

_Mumbling something about taking a shower, he disappeared into his bedroom, leaving her with only Milo circling her legs._

_Picking up the excited feline, she combed his soft fur over one way, then the other. A large glittering diamond weighed heavily on her ring finger, its presence not unwelcome but not yet familiar. When Yi Jeong had given it to her in Hyun's Sub's study, having sneaked up to the offices on the pretense of collecting his father, he told her they could exchange it later if she didn't like it. Truthfully, she would have been happy with something much simpler, but she supposed she wasn't the one who needed to be impressed, and, after all, he had picked it out. It reminded her of him, radiant and larger-than-life._

_She couldn't blame Yi Jeong for wanting to be alone. Perhaps being alone was better. They could sort things out in the morning. After all, they'd hardly gotten to talk about anything that had transpired in the past week, and she doubted either one of them would be up to it tonight._

_Still, she stood there for a few minutes, glancing between his bedroom and the guest room, too uncertain to move one way or the other._

_Just when she had decided to put her things in the guest room and squirrel herself away with only Milo for company, he reappeared in the doorway, wearing only his dress pants and frowning._

" _You coming?"_

_Ga Eul set Milo down uncertainly._

" _What?"_

" _You look tired. I thought you might like to take your shower first."_

" _Oh."_

_She didn't move. If she said anything else she might cry._

" _Ga Eul-yang?"_

_Averting her gaze to the shoes on the floor, she nudged her heels into a symmetrical line with his, her fingers gripping the sides of her gown. One of the shoes tipped over, and after a few moments of fumbling, she flipped it back again with her toes._

_There. Perfect._

_She stepped back._

" _I..." Swallowing, she ran her trembling fingers through her hair. "I'm sorry."_

_She barely realized that Yi Jeong had crossed the room until he stood in front of her, touching her cheek. When he pulled his hand away, his fingers were wet._

" _Don't."_

_Don't? Don't what?_

_Another apology tumbled past her lips, followed by a series of babbled thoughts, only half-intelligible to her. Guilt and fear and a whole host of other emotions she couldn't comprehend yet pressed in on her, as if she were carved out of shadow and her soul contained nothing but grief. Eventually she realized he was hugging her and mumbling his own apologies._

_How long they stood there, overcome by exhaustion and need for each other, she didn't know. Then she felt a warm hand dancing over her spine, finally landing on the zipper at the back of her dress. Tugging gently at the catch, Yi Jeong guided it down her back until the dress slipped effortlessly from her body. Relieved of its weight, she stepped out of it as Yi Jeong pulled her forward, kissing her lips and her cheeks and her neck. He lifted her up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Still kissing her as she clung onto him, he backed them into the bedroom and kicked the door shut on the poor cat. Her back hit the bed. His belt hit the floor with a clink, followed by his pants. Then his mouth found hers again, and her body arched into his with equal desperation as he whispered in her ear that no one was allowed to take off her dress but him._

Soft morning light peeked through the tiny slit between the light gray curtains in Yi Jeong's bedroom. The clock by the bed told her it was quite early yet, but she knew eventually she would have to get up and face the outside world again.

She wasn't ready yet. Not yet.

Slipping her bare shoulders beneath the soft navy blue silk sheets, she closed her eyes and listened to Yi Jeong tread softly back and forth, opening and closing drawers, disappearing into the bathroom and then coming out again. Finally she heard his bedroom door open and shut, and when she rolled over there was a note lying on his side of the bed.

_Didn't want to disturb your sleep. I am going to a meeting (not with my grandfather, so don't worry). I should be back before lunch. Make yourself at home, but please stay here. There's no telling how many reporters are lurking around my apartment building right now. I'll see you when I get back, and we can talk. Sorry for leaving so early. Love you, Yi Jeong_

"Meeting?" Ga Eul mumbled.

* * *

When Madeleine woke, her entire body ached as if she'd been batted around all night. Shifting her stiff neck groggily, she half-opened her eyes, raising her hand to rub at them only to realize she couldn't. Her wrists slammed against metal as she jerked them forward, and her back hit a hard wood surface.

Snapping her eyes wide open, she realized she wasn't in her bedroom. In front of her and on every side, she saw nothing but shadow and rusted metal walls. Beneath her, gray paint peeled from a dirty floor like overgrown tree lichen.

She wasn't lying in her bed. Instead, she sat on a wooden chair in the middle of a dark, expansive room, handcuffed, with her legs bound to the bottom of the chair.

Worse than that, she knew she wasn't alone. She heard rustling all around her, but from who or what she couldn't say.

"W-who's there?" she whispered hoarsely, her throat dry and sore in the cold air.

Shivering in her thin pajamas, she tilted her head back and squinted in the direction of the noise.

A single light bulb hung over her head, dangling from a yellowed string, and above that...

She screamed.


	49. Chapter 49

Birds.

Dozens of them hung in cages over Madeleine's head, and as she stared the bottom dropped out of two cages, and four pigeons swooped down to Madeleine's level, their feathers brushing her head as she ducked and let out another sudden shriek. Looping around the enclosed space, the birds rounded back towards her. Squirming, she scraped her chair backward, desperate to get away, nearly losing her center of gravity and toppling over in the process.

One of the birds landed right in front of her, and she screamed again, the echo reverberating in the otherwise empty space. Looking down, she noticed the trail of bread crumbs scattered underneath and around her chair.

What in the actual hell was this?

Squeezing her eyes shut, she bunched her shaking arms closer to her sides and tried to control her panicked breaths. Maybe if she didn't make any sudden moves...

* * *

"Birds. She fucking tore Ga Eul's clothes off, and that's your master plan?" Yi Jeong aimed his question at the mafia prince who was commandeering the feed from the camera in Madeleine's holding cell.

"She's terrified of them. Look at her." Inexplicably calm for someone who had just drugged, kidnapped, and trapped his ex-lover in a scene from her worst nightmare, Woo Bin kept his gaze on their panicked captive. In a matter of minutes, she had graduated from screaming to sobbing uncontrollably to shrinking silently into herself.

"Where is Jun Pyo? I thought we said 8 in the _morning_." Yi Jeong paced across the small room Woo Bin's men normally used to monitor interrogations. Unfortunately, they would only go so far today, Madeleine being a woman. A poor excuse for one but a woman nevertheless.

He'd like to unleash Jan Di on Madeleine and see how many broken bones she ended up with, but the four of them had ultimately decided it best not to drag her into the mess, even though he knew her hands must be itching for revenge as much as his own.

"He had to drop Jan Di off at the wedding planner's," Woo Bin answered. "Jan Di's spending the entire morning with her and the witch."

"We could hand _her_ over to the witch," Ji Hoo suggested as he leaned against the wall with his eyes shut. Someone who didn't know him might have thought he was sleeping, except that he visibly flinched each time Madeleine had another outburst.

Turning his attention back to the screen, Yi Jeong muttered, "They'd certainly be suited for each other."

* * *

"Welcome to my side of town, princess."

The familiar voice cut through Madeleine's deafening thoughts, but from where she didn't know. Glancing up, she saw only the bird cages, some of them hanging open, some...yet to be released…

Averting her gaze, she swallowed. It must have been an hour or so since she had woken up in this surreal prison, though it felt like ages.

"Y-yes?" Clearing her throat, she whispered hoarsely, "W-who's there?"

Jumping as she felt a sudden presence behind her, her fearful eyes met Woo Bin's angry ones.

Even though she knew he might very well murder her, his presence relaxed her just the slightest bit. A floating feather landed on her lap, and she stared at it as Woo Bin brought around a wooden chair to sit in front of her. He wore all black—black leather jacket, black jeans, black dress shirt. A single silver chain glittered on his neck in the dim light. Her gaze drifted over him and down, down, down until it zeroed in on the gun in a holster on his side.

"W-what are you going to do with that? Shoot me with it?"

"I ought to, but no. For you, I have something much more special planned."

He wasn't alone, she realized as she heard several pairs of footsteps come up behind her, and soon the remainder of the infamous F4 stood in front of her, none of them looking very cordial.

"This is how this works," Woo Bin continued. "We ask you a question. You answer truthfully and don't leave anything out, you'll be home in time for lunch."

"And if...if I don't?"

"We release the rest of them." He jerked his head up. "And leave you here. Police ought to find you in a couple of days."

"I'll tell the police everything. I'll tell them—"

"Tell them what?" Yi Jeong interrupted. "Your boyfriend locked you up in a room full of birds while four of Korea's most beloved flower boys interrogated you? They'll believe that, I'm sure."

One bird crept around the side of her chair and pecked at the bread crumbs right by her feet. She flinched when she felt its feathers brush her toes.

Of course Woo Bin would get pigeons. Even if they had brains enough to be scared of her, they wouldn't be. They were too used to people.

"C-can't we go somewhere else to t-talk? I'll tell you a-anything—"

"Why?" Yi Jeong interrupted. "Feeling attacked? Vulnerable? Scared maybe?"

"Karma's a witch." Jun Pyo gave her a pointed look.

Clenching her fists around the chair arm, she attempted to pull herself together. Looking straight at Woo Bin, she replied, trying to even out her tone, "You always wanted me to meet your friends. Looks like I am after all."

"We already know what you did to Woo Bin, so you can shut up with the cheap shots," Jun Pyo growled. "Or would you like someone to shut that mouth permanently?"

"Everyone knows," Ji Hoo offered, squinting up at the cages hanging above her.

"Everyone?"

The four men exchanged a knowing glance.

What had they said earlier? Her _boyfriend_ locked her up. Her gut clenched even tighter, and it wasn't from the birds.

"But...but you promised!"

"I promise a lot of things. But as you can see, I'm also full of shit," Woo Bin replied. He tossed a newspaper on her lap, open to the society pages. At the top, there was an article on the exhibition, and below that she saw a collection of photos of her and Woo Bin, along with a headline her parents and So Yeong-cheol would kill her over.

Unless the F4 killed her first.

"Where did you get those photos?" she demanded, kicking at her restraints.

"You gave them to me."

"What?!"

"You don't honestly think I didn't have my bodyguards following us the whole time, did you?"

"Your bodyguards were taking pictures of us?!"

"No. But they caught a couple of people who were. I've got all the files. I gave some of them to a reporter friend of mine, but I have more. Some of them I'd like to see you explain to your dear father. There's a few nice shots through the window of a hotel room."

"You're a bastard," Madeleine spat.

"And you're in the papers with the wrong man this morning." He stood up, and his voice took on a more menacing quality. "So tell me. What were you intending to do with these?!" He slapped some photos down on the ground and spread them out.

All of them had the same subject: a girl in a shredded dress.

"Nothing."

"Like hell you were doing nothing!" Yi Jeong grabbed her shoulders and shook her, nearly tipping her chair over. "Don't think you have the right to even look at her!" Grabbing her throat with his right hand, he pressed on her windpipe so hard she thought she might black out. "Who put you up to this? Was it my grandfather? Was it?!"

"I...c-can't..."

"Answer me!"

"Yi Jeong! You don't want to kill her...Just...you're just going to hurt your hand."

Already lightheaded, Madeleine gulped down air when Woo Bin forced Yi Jeong's hand away. Coughing as she lowered her head, she saw the So heir shaking out the hand that had been on her throat.

Oh, right. His injury.

"I was..." she rasped, "just trying to scare her...Those photos...I was going to send them to her apartment. To make her think I would turn them over to a reporter."

Yi Jeong spun back around, and she backtracked. "I wouldn't have actually done it, I swear! That's why I got rid of the originals. You can't even really tell that's her!"

"I don't believe you."

"Why should any of us believe you after what you did to her? After what you did to Woo Bin?" Jun Pyo demanded.

"It's not like that. I don't care about her," Madeleine muttered.

"You don't care about anyone," Woo Bin replied. "Then what is it? Did Harabeoji So promise to make your career? Did your father put you up to it?"

"Why don't you ask Yi Jeong about his father?"

"What about his father? Don't tell us you were with hi—"

"Of course not! It's my mother's damn fault!"

Yi Jeong spoke up again.

"What does your mother have to do with you attacking my girlfriend?"

Madeleine shifted nervously, realizing she might have said too much.

"Well. What does she have to do with it?" Yi Jeong repeated.

"I...She...She was your father's first love."

In the dead silence that followed, Yi Jeong went completely pale, though from rage or shock, or a combination of both, she couldn't tell.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Jun Pyo asked.

"My mother never wanted me. She's been hung up on him all these years. They were lovers, back when they were in college. Ask your father. He'll tell you."

"She's telling the truth," Woo Bin informed them.

But how did he…

"How do you know that?" Yi Jeong broke out of his musings to turn on his friend.

"He told me. He also told me about something else I think Madeleine knows about. Care to enlighten us on what you're father's been plotting with my uncle?"

"You know about that?" Madeleine gasped.

Woo Bin glared at her.

"Not until recently, no."

"You're just going to be implicated, you know, now that you're with me. You just made it look worse for yourself! Why do you have to be so bloody selfless all the time?!"

"See that's where you're wrong! Your father had this all figured out, didn't he? Blackmail So Yeong Cheol with their relationship to get you married off so he could steal from the old man right under his nose. But I had a little talk with So Hyun Sub the other day, and when all of your father's schemes come to light it may also come out that I was giving intel to him about it for the past four years under the pretense of being in a relationship with you."

"But...you weren't?"

"No. But that's the official story, and the official story is the only one that counts."

"You'd turn on your own family?" She couldn't quite believe him.

"My uncle, who has no short history of run-ins with the law. It's a well-known fact my father isn't exactly on agreeable terms with him. And just to make one thing clear, Yi Jeong is my family, and anyone who messes with my family pays. Now...What do you know about it?"

* * *

"In other news, world renowned potter So Yi Jeong has announced his engagement to his secret girlfriend of four years, Miss Chu Ga Eul, a kindergarten teacher at Shinwa. The two have known each other for seven years. Miss Chu is best friends with Shinwa heir Gu Jun Pyo's fiancée. Gu Jun Pyo vocalized his congratulations and support of the couple yesterday evening at the Woo Sung Museum. The wedding is expected to take place sometime early next year, according to So Yi Jeong's comments at the exhibition. However, an exact date has not yet been confirmed by his publicist. Miss Chu has declined an interview at this time."

Hearing her name on the news again only confirmed how surreal Ga Eul's life had become in the past few days. She couldn't escape it now. She was slowly being sucked into that other world that once she had only caught glimpses of, a world that had become her own overnight. She could no more escape So Yi Jeong the celebrity than she had been able to escape So Yi Jeong the man.

Turning away from the television in the front of the grocery store, Ga Eul removed the rest of her grocery bags from her cart and continued on her way out of the store, grateful that with her street clothes and sunglasses she had not been recognized. Yi Jeong had been thoughtful enough to lay some clothes out for her on the bed that morning, and she had put one of his hoodies on for good measure.

She knew he had told her to stay at the apartment, but breakfast and lunchtime had come and gone, and still he hadn't returned. Unfortunately, it looked like he hadn't been at his apartment much in the past week, seeing how there was hardly anything to eat. Deciding she would surprise him with dinner when he got back, she had left a note and had snuck out the back entrance of the complex. The grocery store was just across the street. Now that she had everything she needed, she would be back in no time.

Turning toward the street, she crashed into a man leaving his car and dropped half of her groceries. As she scrambled to pick up her bags off the pavement, the stranger took her arm to help her up.

"Thank you," Ga Eul mumbled, straightening up.

Immediately, she snatched her arm away when she recognized the man standing practically on top of her, blowing alcohol-laced breath in her face.

"Su Pyo."

"Well, if it isn't Chu Ga Eul, all grown up. I thought you'd have servants to do your shopping for you now. Finally got wise like your friend, did you?"

Ga Eul blinked.

"Excuse me?"

"Ah, but you were something, Ga Eul." He leered into her face, and she stepped back. "You really had me fooled with that innocent schoolgirl act. That's why you dumped me in that club."

"Yah! You were the one—"

"I was too low class for you, wasn't I?" His gaze flickered to the groceries in her hands. "Going home to your pretty boy?"

Not replying, Ga Eul made as if to pass him, and he held out his arms, blocking her.

"Now wait, wait, wait a minute. I can see we didn't end on the best of terms."

"There was no 'we,' so I'd say we didn't end on anything," she replied archly. "I have nothing to discuss with you. Now please let me by."

Ga Eul pushed past and headed determinedly in the direction of the street, passing through the semi-darkness of the parking garage.

"Why?" His voice followed her, echoing off the concrete walls. "Now that you're _So Yi Jeong's fiancée_ you can't give me the time of day? Did you meet him at that porridge shop too? Maybe give him some extra services on the side?"

He was talking too loud. People would notice soon, and she would be found out. She needed to shut him up—fast.

Oh, _how_ did she get herself into these situations?!

Spinning around, she shoved him into a corner of the garage between the wall and a white BMW.

"Is there a point to this conversation or do you get off by reliving all of your _failed_ conquests?" she hissed.

A lazy smirk crawled over his face—not the cute, teasing kind Yi Jeong often wore, but one filled with all the malice of a Disney villain getting ready to cook and eat a small child. Losing her grip on a few bags as he leaned over and pressed her against the car, she nonetheless held his gaze.

Su Pyo reached over her and ran his fingers across the top of the car. It felt violating in a way Ga Eul couldn't explain. "Can I say something honestly?"—he looked her up and down—"He had better fashion taste when we first met."

Her skin crawled. She pushed against him, but he was too strong for her.

"Yi Jeong Sunbae—"

"Sunbae? Is this a dominant-submissive thing?"

"You're disgusting. And get off of me before I call the police!"

Appearing not to hear her, he pressed her further into the car, lowering his head until she nearly gagged at the alcohol on his breath. Squeezing her eyes shut, she hoped to God he didn't kiss her. She might have screamed, but to be honest, she didn't want to attract any attention to them.

To her relief, he released her after a moment and stepped back, chuckling as she opened her eyes and stared at him indignantly.

"If you get tired playing Cinderella, let me know. We can do plenty of other things involving handcuffs."

"Bastard."

"Wow! She curses as well."

Ga Eul picked her bags up and turned away from him.

"You must be really good to get Korea's Casanova, if you know what I mean."

She shouldn't let any of his words get to her, especially not after all this time, but she'd felt like the swinging ball at the end of a pendulum the past few days, crashing into everything in sight, and before she could stop herself, she turned back around and delivered a resounding slap to his cheek.

"Let's get one thing straight. If _you_ were the richest man in the _world_ , I'd sooner be handcuffed to a car falling off a cliff than to do anything with you!"

* * *

Their interrogation had lasted longer than Yi Jeong thought it would, but Madeleine had at least been more forthcoming than he thought she would be. She could have been lying, of course, but he had a feeling she wasn't. Her defiance had slowly wasted into tired compliance over the course of the morning. He refused to think of her as remorseful. What she had done to Ga Eul could only be the act of someone utterly cruel and unfeeling. Yet her tears had seemed so real. Right at the end, she started crying and wouldn't stop, only managing to get out that she didn't know any more.

He still felt rattled by the knowledge of who her mother was, more so even than the shady deals her father had been plotting. Finally they were leaving, and he was eager to get back to Ga Eul. He needed to talk to her. He shouldn't have left her alone for this long. He wondered if she had eaten or if she felt okay staying by herself there. Well, she wasn't entirely alone, he reminded himself. Milo was there, and she could call anyone she wanted. He needed to call her. The adrenaline of the situation had really made him lose track of the time.

Whipping out his phone, he opened up his messages to text her when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning, he saw Ji Hoo, the usual unreadable expression on his face, holding his own phone out to Yi Jeong.

"You ought to see this."


	50. Chapter 50

Setting another red pepper on the cool, damp cutting board, Ga Eul sliced it into tiny pieces while the pot of porridge beside her bubbled up. She turned down the heat a bit and scraped the pepper pieces into the soupy mixture. Reaching for another vegetable, she had just broken the skin of it with the edge of her knife when the sound of the front door thudding open startled her.

She moved too quickly. The point of the knife jerked up and grazed the skin of her palm, cutting into it just enough to make it bleed.

"Yi Jeong Sunbae! Ah, you scared me!" Ga Eul clutched at her chest. Then, noting his unpleasant expression, she asked, "Are you okay? Did something else happen? I got hungry, so I was just cooking us some—"

"Ga Eul-yang! Didn't I tell you not to leave the apartment?!"

Ga Eul dropped the hand that had been twisting her blouse. The knife clattered onto the counter.

"But I...How—"

"Did he do that?" Yi Jeong demanded, marching over to her and picking up her hand to examine it. A small trickle of blood stained his fingers. "Well? Did he?!"

"He...Who...I just cut myself with the knife. I-it was an accident."

Yi Jeong only gripped her wrist tighter and whipped out an embroidered handkerchief from his pocket. Wrapping it twice around her palm, he knotted it.

"We have napkins," Ga Eul protested softly.

Ignoring her, Yi Jeong applied pressure to her hand and shifted his eyes back up to meet hers, "When I tell you not to do something, I mean it. Didn't you learn anything from watching Jan Di suffer? I'm trying to protect you as best as I can, but I can't do that if you refuse to listen to me."

"Sunbae, what are you saying? I just went to the grocery store. There weren't any reporters there, I swear. No one came up to me."

Yi Jeong laughed—a hollow, maniacal laugh. Dirt smudges on the cuffs of his dress shirt showed as he gestured his arms wildly, and she wondered where he had been.

"Oh, this is just great. You think a reporter is going to come waltzing up to you and ask how your day is going?"

"Well I...I thought they would be trying to get an interview or something."

"Ga Eul-yang...If you don't learn anything else, you need to learn this, and you need to learn it now. What you say doesn't matter half as much as what you do—or what people think you did. A photographer isn't going to announce his presence for you to go running off to safety. Now, are you telling me that _no one_ recognized you at the store?"

"I didn't—"

"Don't lie to me!"

"I'm not! I'm not! I just...I wouldn't have bothered you with it."

"That bastard you used to date, what did he want?"

Ga Eul's eyes went wide. She jerked her hand back.

"How did you know about that?"

"First answer the question. I know he approached you outside the store. What did he say?"

Forcing her back against the counter, Yi Jeong leaned his body into hers, and she distractedly remembered the time he had seduced her in his bedroom in Sweden. Which seemed more scandalous in her recollection of it than it actually had been.

Right.

Scandal.

"N-nothing." Ga Eul avoided his gaze, her cheeks burning as she remembered some of Su Pyo's insinuations. "He was just...being a jerk...so I told him to leave me alone."

She rubbed the loose fabric of his dress shirt between her thumb and forefinger, finding some comfort in his nearness. Honestly, she had been quite rattled earlier, and now she was on the verge of tears again.

"You slapped him hard enough. He must have said something!"

Yi Jeong rage seemed almost palpable, the flip side of his usually calm and collected charm.

"Yes, but how did you—"

"What did he say?! Dammit, Ga Eul-yang!" Yi Jeong slammed his fist down on the counter. When she jumped, he backed away from her a bit and ran his fingers through his hair. "This is exactly the sort of bullshit I was trying to avoid!"

Despite knowing his anger wasn't directed at her, Ga Eul trembled at his tone.

"H-he was just insulting me. He said that I...I mean he accused me of going after you for your money. And, um, seducing you basically...He even said _I_ dumped _him._ "

"Yeah, well, you're not the only person he said that to."

"What?"

Pulling his phone out, he held it up to her.

"Read it," he commanded.

Too soon, Ga Eul faced another glaring phone screen featuring a condemning picture of herself. This time, the picture was all too public. There she was, backed up against a car with Su Pyo's face lowered to hers. Further down, another photo captured her vindictive palm hitting his face.

_Will There be Trouble in Paradise?: Chu Ga Eul's Ex-Lover Park Su Pyo Tells All_

_In an exclusive interview with The Daily Tattle, Park Su Pyo, manager of Club Opera and former boyfriend of So Yi Jeong's surprise fiancee, opened up about his relationship with Chu Ga Eul and his thoughts on her upcoming marriage to one of Korea's (until now) most A-list bachelors._

_Q: You dated Miss Ga Eul a few years back, is that correct?_

_A: Yes. When I met her, she worked at a porridge shop. I was a frequent customer. She seemed like such a nice girl. So innocent._

_Q: And you asked her out there?_

_A: We had the same taste in music. She liked the band I was listening to. We, uh, started talking, and one thing led to another._

_Q: As it often does. Tell me, how long did the two of you go out?_

_A: Only about two months. She stopped responding to my phone calls and messages. At first I thought she was feeling guilty after her friend's boyfriend picked a fight with me on our double date. But then one day she shows up at my club with the guy she's engaged to now—_

_Q: Omo, they've been together that long?!_

_A: To be honest, I was shocked to find out they still were together._

_Q: What do you mean?_

_A: I'll tell you something. When she worked at the shop, that girl would flirt with any guy in a suit. I watched her. Until one day she approached me. I liked to think I was cool back then, you know. I thought I'd be different. I guess we all like to think that._

_Q: So you're saying she played you?_

_A: Played me? That night she showed up at the club with So Yi Jeong, well, let's just say she wasn't dressed like an innocent schoolgirl. Had me fooled too. I guess she knew I was a nice guy because on all our dates, she wore blouses buttoned up to here. Sweaters, tights—you couldn't see anything if you wanted to. When she walked into the club, I hardly recognized her. She looked like one of those escorts businessmen brought in a lot. Her dress certainly didn't leave anything to the imagination. I wanted to talk to her, but she completely ignored me. Acted like she'd never even seen me before. Certainly had him wrapped around her finger, though. Well, on to her next conquest._

_Q: The two of you were...intimate?_

_A: [laughter] I thought I was her first. She always acted so shy. But let's just say I can understand how a certain ladies' man fell for her._

_Q: Mmm, I see. And what do you think of their engagement?_

_A: I think she got what she wanted. Always after class, that girl. I'll say that for her. I told you she liked to flirt with the guys in suits. No doubt she's already planning out how to best enjoy her newly acquired wealth._

_Q: Other news sources are already calling her "Cinderella." Do you think that's an accurate description?_

_A: Ah, Cinderella...Well, if they want to call it love, sure. But the only person that **** has ever been in love with is herself._

"I don't understand...Two months, my foot," Ga Eul muttered. "He only took me on two dates in that time. Honestly, where does he get the nerve to do something like this? I was pretty sure he'd have forgotten me by now. Escorts? Intimate?! Are they even allowed to ask that?!"

"My guess is, someone paid him to do that interview. Unfortunately, you did go out with him, and I'm sure there are witnesses from that night at the club to corroborate his story."

"But that was so long ago!"

"Any skeletons they can bring up from your closet they will. Which is why you need to listen to me when I tell you to do something. Or not do something, for that matter. What were you even thinking? How could you be so...so...so stupid?!"

"How was I supposed to know he'd be there?! It's not like I plan for these things to happen!" Oh, great. Now she'd started crying.

"First you lied to me about the whole Madeleine incident, and now you were going to lie to me about this. You weren't going to tell me, were you? Oh, just let Yi Jeong think nothing happened, and it will all turn out okay."

"I don't know! I don't know, okay?!" Ga Eul couldn't control her sobs now. Somehow she managed to choke out, "I just wanted to make you dinner."

"Dinner?! That's what' s important here?!" Reaching over, he switched the knob on the stove off, and the pot of porridge immediately began to simmer down.

"Sunbae, don't! It has to boil some more!"

"Oh, yeah, well make your damn porridge!" Yi Jeong jerked at the knot of his necktie. "I've got to go clean this other mess up." With that, he stalked off to his bedroom and slammed the door, leaving her to sink down onto the kitchen floor alone and replay Su Pyo's careless insinuations over in her mind.

She knew he was really mad at Su Pyo, not her, but she hated that he felt like he couldn't trust her. What type of dummy was she, sneaking out like that? She should have just called him to see when he would be coming back.

Or ordered takeout.

She didn't know how long she sat huddled in the corner by the stove, tears blurring her vision, until a door creaked open and Yi Jeong reappeared in her line of sight.

Crossing over to her, he silently knelt down and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

Clearing his throat, he said, "I, um...I didn't mean to yell at you like that…I just...I want to punch so many people in the face right now, and I wish...I wish you would be more careful. Okay?"

Ga Eul nodded, not quite trusting herself to speak for fear she would start sobbing again.

"Come here," Yi Jeong whispered, gathering her in his arms. Settling into his lap, she buried her face into his shoulder. "Shh. It's okay. We'll figure this out," he reassured her as he rubbed her back. Letting herself sink into his warmth, Ga Eul closed her eyes and tried to block out her deepest fears that this wouldn't last, that they wouldn't get their fairy tale ending after all.

"You know Jan Di had to spend a whole day with the witch today?" he continued in the same soothing tone. "The guys all made bets on who would kill whom the quickest."

Ga Eul smiled and reopened her eyes. A stray piece of red pepper had landed on the floor.

"Obviously, my bet went to Jan Di killing the witch. I think commoners must be impossible to kill. You're as stubborn as weeds."

"Yah," Ga Eul protested softly. "I don't want to be compared to weeds. Sunbae, can't you pick a nice flower, like a rose or a daffodil?"

"Mmm, how about witch hazel? It blooms in winter. And you've bewitched me."

"That's too much, Sunbae."

"What? Girls like for guys to say stuff like that. Anyway, it's making you stop crying."

"I know. I know you hate it when girls cry."

"No. I hate it when _you_ cry. I hate seeing you cry and not being able to fix it. Or kick whoever did that to you straight in the balls."

"Well, maybe you should have tried that tactic with Su Pyo the first time, and then he couldn't have possibly said any of those horribly untrue things."

"Hmm. Maybe not but…Look, just for the record, my motivations for going to that club with you weren't entirely righteous and vindictive."

"Oh?"

"No. I, um...I wanted to see how sexy you'd look in that dress."

"You're such a bad guy, Sunbae."

"And you, apparently, are a gold digger. At least we're evenly matched, wouldn't you say?" He grinned, and she couldn't help but laugh and accept the gentle kiss he pressed to her lips.


	51. Chapter 51

_28 Years Ago_

Biting her non-existent fingernails, So Ri scanned the club for any sign of the one love of her life. The past two days since he'd broken up with her she hadn't eaten or slept, stress stretching her body out like a taut bow string on a worn instrument. Old ulcers in her stomach from when she'd been bullied in school aggravated her. Songs on loudspeakers and scarves in her closet and silhouettes of strangers—the stars and the sun and the rain and the trees and the still, cold, tangible air—they all reminded her of him. A stupid conversation they'd had. Their mutual likes and dislikes. Their disagreements.

That indifferent stare that always made him seem cool and mysterious now only made him seem careless.

Selfish.

But when he'd smiled knowingly at her across a room or laughed at her childish antics, the warmth in it had shot straight to every nerve in her body until she was buoyant and above every care in the world.

Her hands still tingled where he'd traced lines on her palms.

'Let's move to Florence and stay there forever,' he'd whispered while drunk, and she, also drunk but not from liquor, had believed him.

She'd bought every lie he'd sold her with willing lips and eyes and hands, and when she finally spotted him through the thick throng of party goers, a tear slipped from her burning eyes.

Had he ever cared?

How could he throw everything away, just like that?

How could he tell her the past three years meant nothing to him after a mere 'chat' with his father about his familial duties?

What was it his father had called her?

A common clay vessel, useful for holding water or cooking, but not for display.

Plain.

Cheap.

Replaceable.

So Ri pulled her heavy gray coat tighter against her though the air in the club stifled her. She knew he'd be here. Even when they were together, he frequented this club with friends on the Fridays she couldn't join him.

Tonight, he sat alone in one of the booths, nursing a drink, and when she approached him, his gaze flickered from surprise to the same hardness he'd shown her when he'd told her he wanted to break up.

If he thought he would get rid of her that easily, he was mistaken. He hadn't meant it. She knew he hadn't. Fear made him callous, but she could get through to him. She'd always been able to before.

Besides, she had more than herself to worry about now.

Pushing through the crowd, she stopped directly in front of him, her knees hitting the edge of the table. The disheveled state of his clothes and the glassiness in his eyes indicated he'd already had a few.

"Can we talk?" she shouted, her voice straining over the excited shouts of the table doing shots next to them.

Saying nothing, he turned his head to stare at a group of dancing girls to her right.

"Hyun Sub, I really need to talk to you! Can't we go somewhere, just for a minute?!"

Hyun Sub picked up his drink and sipped from it, draping his arm over the top of the black leather booth.

His fingers twitched as he set the glass down, a nervous tick she'd picked up on early in their dating life.

"I have something important to tell you!" she tried again, moving over so that she blocked his view of the girl group. "Can't you even talk to me anymore?!"

"Didn't I make myself clear enough?" he answered, still not looking at her. "We're over. Don't bother coming around me anymore."

"You can't just decide that by yourself without even telling me why. You at least owe me an explanation. You at least owe me that much!"

"You know why. You didn't honestly think this was going somewhere, did you? Even you can't be so blind. This arrangement was made years ago."

"So you're going to accept it, just like that? What was I, your test run? The lucky slut you decided to spend your last few years of foolishness with? You're pathetic."

"Are you done?"

"No. You're a spineless bastard, and I wish I'd never laid eyes on you. But you're going to listen to me now because I'm not going through this shit alone when it's your damn fault too."

Her tears had no effect on him. How was it possible?

He'd once punched a guy's lights out for making her cry.

He'd even talked back to their professor.

Now, he merely smirked.

"You think I'm going to break down if you make a fool of yourself? Leave. Before I ask security to escort you out."

"What happened to you? Have you gone mad?"

"No. But you have, my dear. See that girl over there in the red dress?" Hyun Sub gestured to one of the girls in the group he'd been watching. She had her back turned to them.

"What about her? Your escort for the evening?" So Ri spat.

Hyun Sub met her gaze coolly.

"My future wife."

"Bullshit."

"Take another look."

So Ri did, despite herself, and sure enough she saw Park Chung Ae, the socialite he had recently become engaged to at the bidding of both their parents.

"What's the matter? Don't think she'll do the job credibly?" Hyun Sub scoffed and took another sip of his drink. "You're not that special."

"Bullshit," she repeated, only quieter.

"Look at you. You even curse like a commoner. You're not meant to be here. It's a wonder they let you into the same classes as me."

"If you're trying to insult me, then try harder. Don't you remember? I had my uniform ripped from my body by girls much scarier than you. They had to answer to my fists."

Snatching the glass out of his hand as he set it down on the table, she slid it across the table, its contents sloshing over the sides, until it nearly went over the edge.

"It's a wonder you can create anything, much less run your father's precious museum, knowing how truly tasteless you are."

Before he had kept his face neutral, but abruptly his mood shifted as he met her gaze once more.

"It's a wonder they let you in here looking like a knocked-up civil service worker."

"It's a wonder if you don't die before you're 40 with how much you're drinking right now. I wonder if your lovely future wife knows what a rotten deal she signed on. It's not like anyone thinks you're prince charming to begin with, and now you're just cruel."

"Oh? You think I've been cruel? You _think_ I've been cruel? I wonder if anyone will marry you now that you're damaged goods. It's not like your family's name means anything. It's not like you have any real talent. It's not like you've been anything but a burden to your father since the day you were born. It's not like your life is of any real significance. Why don't you go stand out on the sidewalk by the door and see if there are any takers?"

"Hyun Sub—"

"You think you're a pretty face? Look around you. You think you're different? You think you stand out in a crowd? You think anyone is looking at you? Look around you! Look!"

"You looked at me."

"Because you're the most gullible girl I've ever met." He sneered. "And the most stupid."

The lights flickering between them gave away nothing of the Hyun Sub she had known.

Thankfully, he couldn't see her trembling underneath her coat, but if she kept standing there, she knew she'd have no dignity left. Already, the bile had risen in her throat. She wanted to break every bottle on every table in the room. She wanted to beat him up like the stupid, mad girl he took her for.

Instead she said, "Well, then...I guess I'll be leaving first. _So_ Hyun Sub. I hope your bride-to-be makes you even more utterly miserable than you already are. I hope you never see me again, and I hope you drown yourself in regret until your dying day." She picked up his glass and slammed it back down in front of him. "Or cheap, horrible liquor."

Without giving him a chance to respond, she turned and headed for the exit, pushing past a few curious onlookers who had seen their heated exchange. At the entrance, she couldn't help herself, though. She looked back, curious and perhaps too hopeful to see remorse on his face.

Whether he saw her or not, she couldn't tell, but his fianceé had sat down next to him, and the next thing she knew his mouth was all over her.

And the next thing she knew she was throwing up in the alley outside the club.

And the next thing she knew a man was helping her into a cab.

Yi something something.

_Present_

Brushing a few pieces of lint from her cream blouse, So Ri stared down So Yeong-cheol's secretary with what she hoped was an indifferent yet intimidating air. The polished bookkeeper merely lifted her brows at So Ri's insistence that she see the old man on urgent business.

Didn't the lady know who she was? Was she still someone so easily swept under the rug?

She liked to think not, and her patience wore thin as the lady dismissed request after request.

"I'm sorry," the secretary repeated robotically. "He is not accepting visitors today, not even by appointment. If you would like to request—"

"Then tell him it concerns his grandson. His first one. His _very_ first one."


	52. Chapter 52

_28 Years Ago_

Of all the damned luck, she had to be here tonight—his bride-to-be, along with her gaggle of annoying friends.

He had come here to forget his problems, not to bring more headaches on himself.

It seemed his luck couldn't get any worse when So Ri walked in, dressed more for a midnight stroll in the park than a night of dancing.

It had been in such a park, sitting on the opposite side of an uncomfortable wooden bench, that he had broken up with her two days earlier. He'd been smoking all day, one cigarette after another, and she had acted nervous when they met, not saying anything when he sat down without touching her, as if she knew what was coming.

Why shouldn't she?

His engagement had been made public weeks earlier, yet they had continued their secret meetings at her apartment.

So Ri called it hope. Hyun Sub called it denial.

They were only prolonging one another's agony—and the possibility that they would be discovered. Better to face up to the separation and get it over with. Rip off the proverbial band aid while they still had time to grieve.

Pulling her pink sweater closer over the white sundress she'd worn on the unseasonably warm day, she'd begged him to reconsider. She'd tried to close the gap between their bodies, to pull him back and make him see 'reason,' but he'd thrown her off.

A foolish romantic, he'd called her. A child.

Even ignoring his father's general threats against her well-being, what did she think they were going to do? Run away? To where? To do what? With what resources? What type of life were they fit for besides the one they had always known? Who were they, really, without their families?

So Ri of all people should have understood how difficult it was to rise up in the world. People who left positions like his rarely, if ever, found their way back again.

'Were you planning on doing this all along?' she'd asked.

He hadn't answered her.

He didn't know.

At present, she reached his table, mercifully stopping on the other side instead of latching onto him.

"Can we talk?" she shouted. Up close, he could see splashes of alcohol on her heavy wool coat from where the crowd had jostled her.

Commanding himself not to engage her, he turned his gaze in the direction of Park Chung Ae and her friends.

_She means nothing. She means nothing_ , the voice of 'reason' inside himself muttered. The voice sounded eerily like his father's.

"Hyun Sub, I really need to talk to you! Can't we go somewhere, just for a minute?!"

_There's nothing happening here. She means nothing._

The liquor burned his throat. Schooling his features into nonchalance, he set his glass back down steadily.

"I have something important to tell you! Can't you even talk to me anymore?!"

As she moved in front of him, he kept his eyes on her coat buttons, sure that if he looked at her face his composure would crack.

"Didn't I make myself clear enough? We're over. Don't bother coming around me anymore."

_You don't need to be here. Do you want me to hurt you? Please just leave._

"You can't just decide that by yourself..."

_I'm not deciding. I'm following my fate to its bitter conclusion._

"What was I, your test run?...You're pathetic."

_You're not wrong._

"...I'm not going through this shit alone when it's your own damn fault too."

"You think I'm going to break down if you make a fool of yourself?"

From the corner of his eye, he saw Chung Ae emerge into view again. She still had her back turned, but it wouldn't do for her to witness their argument. Besides that, even in the dizzying flurry of lights he could see a few tears slip down So Ri's cheeks.

She didn't deserve this.

She didn't deserve him.

He had to get rid of her.

"Take a look...What's the matter? Don't think she'll do the job credibly? You're not that special..."

"If you're trying to insult me, then try harder...It's a wonder you can create anything, much less run your father's precious museum, knowing how truly tasteless you are."

"It's a wonder they let you in here looking like a knocked-up civil service worker."

"It's not like anyone thinks you're prince charming to begin with, and now you're just cruel."

"You think I've been cruel? I wonder if anyone will marry you now that you're damaged goods...It's not like you've been anything but a burden...Why don't you go stand out on the sidewalk by the door and see if there are any takers?"

Before he had kept his face carefully neutral, but now he glared up at her, intent on destroying every last shred of hope she had for him. For them. The words came out pointed as well-aimed arrows from a reckless bow, fast as pistol shots and equally as deadly. They were rapid fire and blurry as he spoke them, yet he knew later they would haunt him all too vividly.

"Hyun Sub—"

"You think you're different...Look around you! Look!"

"You looked at me."

"Because you're the most gullible girl I've ever met."

"...I hope you drown yourself in regret until your dying day. Or cheap, horrible liquor."

She turned on her way out, and he hated that it would be the last memory he had of her.

More than that, he hated himself, so he turned to the girl in the red dress who, it seemed, had decided to cling onto him for the evening.

Who gave herself to him so easily.

So Ri would have slapped him for ravaging her like that in public.

When he lifted his head back up, So Ri had disappeared.

And the next thing he knew he was making his own way out another door.

And the next thing he knew he was taking his anger out on another girl condemned to the same fate.

And the next thing he knew he was fumbling in the dark, delirious and drunk, crying out So Ri's name.

* * *

_Present_

Rounding the corner to his father's office, Hyun Sub halted when he saw a familiar face step inside ahead of him.

What was So Ri doing at the museum?

Hadn't he told her to leave the country?

Twenty-eight years later, and she still thought she could take matters into her own hands.

He wondered what had provoked her to visit the old man. Threats, perhaps?

Balling his fists, he strode up to the door, ready to bang it down, but paused with his fist yet raised.

For all their expense, the walls in the museum had never been very soundproof—an unfortunate fact he had realized the first time his grandfather had discovered him and So Ri together.

Looking around cautiously and seeing no one in the halls, Hyun Sub pressed his ear against the door.

"I said leave it alone."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because I know you know about my son. Your grandson. And if you say anything to the authorities about Yi Seong Jae, I'll make sure everyone knows it."

"You honestly want that to come out?"

"You honestly think I'd rather go to jail?"

"I'm surprised your husband isn't the one groveling here. Still the protective one, aren't you?"

"I don't give a damn about my husband, but my children are a different matter. You took everything from me, but you won't take it from my daughter. She's young and stupid, and most of what she's done is in some way my fault, but I won't see a scandal like this ruin all of her opportunities in life."

"You'll have a scandal on your hands either way."

"Then I'll take the lesser of two evils. Besides, from where I stand you have much more to lose than me with that particular revelation. Leave it alone, and whatever else my husband may have been holding over you, I'll make sure he doesn't go through with it."

"No one will believe you."

"They'll believe a paternity test."

"Oh? And where are you going to produce that from? My son has no knowledge of your little mistake. You've kept him safely hidden in plain sight all these years. I suggest you continue doing so unless you...Hyun Sub!"

Hyun Sub had burst inside before he realized what he was doing, but before he could open his mouth, Yi Jeong entered behind him, demanding to know what the old man had done to Ga Eul.


	53. Chapter 53

When Yi Jeong had at last reached the long row of executive offices on the top floor of the museum, he'd found his father leaning against his grandfather's door, a mixture of shock and confusion on his face. Now the man that he had resented for years appeared strangely human as he crossed the office to where his first love—Yi Jeong now knew—stood.

"Is it true?...Well? Is it?!"

So Ri didn't answer him, and he grabbed her by the arms.

"So Ri-ah, what did you do? Why did you...why didn't you tell me?...Say something, damn it!"

Tears spilled out of her eyes, and she trembled as she lifted her head up.

"I was trying to tell you, you idiot," she choked out. "That night at the club. You wouldn't listen to me. You wanted _her_!"

"No...No, I didn't...I didn't...damn it...it's always been you...it's always been you!" This only seemed to make her cry more, and she pulled away and collapsed onto the chair behind her.

"I didn't know...I didn't know...I swear I..." Hyun Sub trailed off and shook his head. Yi Jeong swore he saw tears in his father's eyes.

"Look at the two of you," Yi Jeong's grandfather interrupted. "How can you both bring such shame on your families? And now she wants to expose us all to the ridicule of the nation." So Ri only cried harder as his grandfather continued. "I told you from the beginning that girl was going to bring trouble."

"You knew about this, didn't you?" Hyun Sub shot back.

"I only learned of it recently," So Yeong-cheol replied, his voice clipped.

"You knew I had another son, and you kept it from me." Hyun Sub stormed up to the old man's desk.

'Another' Yi Jeong mouthed.

"That's hardly a thing to boast about."

"That's hardly a thing to keep from the boy's own father!" Hyun Sub swept an angry arm over the desk, and a flurry of papers descended to the spotless marble floor. A pitcher wobbled, then tipped onto the ground, shattering.

"Appa. Harabeoji. What are you saying?" Yi Jeong finally managed.

"Yi Jeong, you may wait outside," his grandfather answered, keeping his eyes on Yi Jeong's father.

"Harabeoji, I'm not going to wait outside like a small child. Since you want me to take responsibility for the museum, I think I have a vested interest in what goes on in it. And whatever else you've been doing behind my back, like planting that Su Pyo character to humiliate my fiancee."

"Ah yes, what about your little fiancee?" Yeong-cheol's face twisted with irritation. "Who you insisted on seeing all these years against my wishes and you thought I wouldn't know? Have you any idea what you've done? Parading around with that commoner like our family is a weekly drama series. Do you really think she's that innocent? Do you know everything about her? Do you know the kinds of people she associates with?!"

"Ga Eul has the truest heart of anyone I've ever known, and you had her painted as a damn opportunist!"

"I didn't paint anything, and I didn't plan that whole scene with her ex-lover, if that's what you think."

"He's not—"

"I believe he planned that himself. Getting in his fifteen minutes of fame, I suppose. I'm sure the magazine paid him nicely enough. No. I'm talking about someone else."

"Someone else? What the hell do you mean, someone else?"

"Her friend, the one who worked for the Song family. Or perhaps you don't know. You were in Sweden at the time."

His grandfather produced a manila folder from his top desk drawer.

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to use this, Yi Jeong, but I'm only sorry you forced my hand on it. I imagine it wouldn't look good in any light, but especially with the charges I will be bringing against the Song family, I imagined this will make quite the headline in the morning." So Yeong-cheol trailed off as he held up a large photograph of a couple kissing on a residential street. "Do you know who that is? I'm assuming from the look on your face that you do."

"What is...where did you get that?" Yi Jeong asked.

Stony faced, the old man stood, drawing himself up to his full height though keeping his hands planted firmly on his desk. "No one crosses me, Yi Jeong. You seem to have forgotten that. Perhaps living abroad for four years went to your head." He turned to Yi So Ri, who had stopped crying but still leaned wearily against the arm of her chair. "Perhaps living in Paris for twenty years went to yours. But this is my museum and my father's before me, and I will not have its stability and repute torn apart by the reckless antics of a talented but foolish boy with his head in the clouds and an upstart of a woman whose actual value is so little her own husband bartered with me against her reputation and has already deserted her to the wolves. That's why you're here to beg me, isn't it? Hasn't your husband already gone back to Paris? My, my, first that bastard child of yours and now this—"

"That's enough," Hyun Sub growled.

"I don't know what you're trying to accomplish by coming here, any of you, but I've tolerated all I will tolerate. Now leave before I cut both of you off. Get out!" Yeong-cheol banged his fist on the manila folder.

Flinging herself from the chair, So Ri fled the room. Hyun Sub rushed out after her, only pausing to call after Yi Jeong, who didn't respond but stood paralyzed by the photo on his grandfather's desk.

The photo captured the couple in question from the side. The woman—Ga Eul—leaned against a brick wall and had her face upturned to a terribly familiar man, though Yi Jeong had, indeed, never met him.

The black Chanel purse he had given her in Sweden hung precariously on the edge of her shoulder like it might slide off at any moment and drop to the dirty pavement, forgotten.

* * *

Ga Eul's head slammed into the car window as it careened off the bridge. Searing pain shot through her skull, and she clutched her head, her fingers burrowing into a blood-soaked clump of hair. Squeezing her eyes shut, she braced herself for the impact of the car crashing beneath the water. Dizzy and barely clinging to consciousness, she gasped for air as the car began to fill up. Then a rounded bar press into her stomach, and it dawned on her that she was in the driver's seat. But if she was driving, then her brother must be in the...passenger...seat…

She opened her mouth to scream, only to take in a mouthful of water as the car sunk lower.

'Yi Jeong,' she mouthed at the terrible sight of the unconscious man in the seat next to her. Struggling to undo her seatbelt, she tried to keep her eyes open, but a heavy weight had settled over her body, and for once she could feel her lungs burning and the ache from where she'd hit the frame of the car and the glass shards that dug into the side of her head.

But she had to keep her eyes open.

She had to get them both out of the car.

She had to fight it.

She had to fight it.

She had to fight it.

She had to…

She had…

She...

* * *

Ga Eul awoke with a start in the darkness, and it took a moment for her eyes to adjust enough to see that she was in her old bedroom at her parents home where Yi Jeong had dropped her off some hours before. Only her mother had been home then, and she had insisted that Ga Eul get some rest. Ga Eul must have been more tired than she realized. The digital clock on the nightstand told her she had slept through the night, and a few tendrils of sun creeped across the gray dawn sky outside her window.

A car alarm went off across the street, then stopped. High pitched squeals of school children floated up to her and hung suspended before fading off down the street.

Yi Jeong had already seen to it that she had today off of work, but she knew she would have to go back tomorrow. Sighing, she closed her eyes against the headache enveloping her outside her dream world.

She remembered what the autopsy report had said—that her brother had died from injuries sustained during the crash, not from drowning. Maybe before he even hit the water, he was already gone.

"Yi Jeong," she whispered.

"Yi Jeong was supposed to protect her from this sort of thing!"

At the sound of her father's voice, she sat up, a light blanket falling from her shoulders. Absently, she noted that she was still wearing the clothes she'd borrowed from Yi Jeong's apartment.

"Yeobo, it's not like he is behind this. You mustn't believe everything you—"

"There's a picture! A damn picture! Do you know what this will do to her?! I can't...I've got to—"

"Yeobo, yeobo, your heart. You shouldn't be...Sit down. Let me get you a glass of water."

Emerging from the bedroom, Ga Eul crept down the hall and descended the stairs.

"I'm going to break every bone in his damn body!" her father persisted.

"Not Yi Jeong," Ga Eul protested, stepping down to the bottom of the stairs where they could see her.

Her mom paused with a pitcher of water mid-air before she set it down steadily.

"No, no, sweetheart, not him." Her mom's face, though, looked troubled even as she tried to smile reassuringly. She motioned for Ga Eul to have a seat at the table across from her father.

"Let me get you something to eat. You must be starving by now."

"Not particularly." Ga Eul replied, sidling up to the table. In truth, she felt sick to her stomach. "What were you talking about just now? Su Pyo? Yi Jeong told me he would clear all of that up. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have engaged with him."

Her parents exchanged a glance.

Suddenly, her mother slammed the dish she'd pulled out down in the center of the table.

"You tell her, or I will!"

"That boy showing his face here again was a bad omen," her father grumbled.

"Tell her!" At her tone, Ga Eul jumped. She hadn't seen her mother display so much emotion in years.

"Sit down, Ga Eul," her father commanded, rubbing his hands over his head. "And get me a bottle."

"Yeobo-"

"I said get me a damn bottle!"

Metal screeched against wood as Ga Eul pulled out a chair and sat across from her father, who looked more haggard than he had the night he'd lost his job due to Madame Kang's ruthless scheming. Her mother returned with a bottle of soju and a glass, and he poured himself a glassful and downed it in one gulp.

When he set the glass down again, his fingers shook.

She held her breath for his next sentence.

"I suppose I've never explained to you...why I took such an issue with Gong Yoo after your brother passed." Incrementally, he turned the glass in his hands left then right, as if he were gauging his words by the weight between his fingers.

Ga Eul laughed nervously.

"I thought you didn't like him before that."

"Well, I didn't. He ran with a reckless crowd. I know he was your brother's oldest friend, but there comes a time when you've got to cut a man loose or go down with him. Do you understand?"

"Um...not...not exactly."

"A few days after your brother died, Gong Yoo showed up here."

"You were with your grandmother at your aunt's house," her mom offered quietly.

"He was claiming...it wasn't an accident. That it was his fault your brother had died. You don't know this, although I had suspected, but Gong Yoo got involved with a gang when he dropped out of school. He thought someone in the gang had it out for him because of some things he knew. Your brother was driving Gong Yoo's car that night. Gong Yoo thought someone had tampered with the brakes." Grief welled up in his hard eyes. "Your brother is dead because of him."

"When your brother moved out, I thought we might never see him again. But Gong Yoo said he had decided to come home, and he took off in the car," Ga Eul's mother added weakly, her voice cracking. "And then he...I'm sorry." She sniffled and dabbed her eyes with a rough paper napkin.

"Yah...Why didn't you tell me this before? I'm not a child!"

"Why didn't you tell us you saw him?!" her father demanded.

"Excuse me?"

"A few years ago. He came to the house, and your grandmother let him in. I sent him away, but he saw you after that. What did he do to you?"

"Do...do to me? N-nothing, we just ate and talked for a while. That's all. I didn't tell you because I knew you'd be mad."

"Your brother is dead because of him!"

"But _he_ didn't kill him, Appa! Maybe he did bad things, but still...why are you telling me all this now? Was he here again?! He told me he was leaving the country."

"Did he tell you that before or after this?!"

Ga Eul's father shoved an open newspaper toward her where two headlines caught her attention.

The first made mention of a lawsuit against Song construction by no other than the Woo Sung Museum.

The second showed a picture of her and Gong Yoo on a night she barely remembered.

_Chu Ga Eul's_ _Former_ _Lover had Ties to Mafia, Song Construction_

She certainly didn't remember the moment captured in the photo.


	54. Chapter 54

Crumpled tissues littered the floor of Ga Eul's bedroom, surrounding an empty tissue box that lay in between herself and Jan Di. Her best friend had burst in the front door around noon time and had consoled her mother briefly before heading up to Ga Eul's room to 'knock some sense into her.'

At first Ga Eul had been crying about her brother, after explaining what her father had told her. Then she'd cried about Yi Jeong, then her brother, then Yi Jeong again. By this point in the evening, the tissues only irritated her red and swollen eyes, and she'd given up on speaking coherently. She'd been going around and around in circles all night, but she was no closer to remembering anything that had happened between her and Gong Yoo.

Jan Di, meanwhile, had been plotting her single-handed revenge on the real culprit behind the news story, of which there was no doubt: Yi Jeong's grandfather.

"Ga Eul, what about this? I break into the museum and booby trap his entire office. Then when he's all bound and defenseless, I break out of the closet and spin-kick him right in the—"

"Yah, Jan Di...you're crazy, you know that, right?" Ga Eul sighed and picked at the ratty tissue in her lap.

"Then I'll get Jun Pyo Sunbae to—"

"Jun Pyo Sunbae will never help me, not after what I've done to Yi Jeong. And don't say it, Jan Di. I know he might do it for you, but I've made such a mess of things. I don't want to make it worse by coming between him and Yi Jeong. It's my fault. And I don't even remember it! I can't say why I did it or...that I didn't want to do it...or anything!"

"Ga Eul—"

"I was drunk. I could have...Oh no, Jan Di, I could have done anything! Yi Jeong is really going to kill me for this. I can't even promise him it was just a kiss. I don't know what it was!"

"Yah—"

"I mean...I had a crush on him when we were kids, I suppose, but I would never...I mean, I hadn't seen him in years! Besides, I was just a kid back then. Why would he think of me like that? Why did he have to do... _that_?!"

"Yah! Ga Eul!" Jan Di shook her arm. "I've known you since we were five years old. There's no way you would have done anything improper with another guy. He must have taken advantage of you. You're really out of it when you're drunk, you know. At least the two or three times in my life I've seen you drunk, you were really loopy. Maybe you were imagining he was Yi Jeong."

"Maybe so." Ga Eul shook her head. "There's just no other explanation."

"Screw what the paper says. No one can prove you were even in a relationship with Yi Jeong when that photo was taken."

"Sure." Ga Eul laughed humorlessly. "No one but Yi Jeong can prove that. And he'll know because he gave me the purse in the photo. And besides that, I told him about that night. He called me the next morning, and I was hungover."

"At least you know you didn't mean it. I was fully aware when I kissed Ji Hoo Sunbae," Jan Di offered mournfully. "I'll never be able to take that moment back."

"But that's just it. He told me himself how angry he got with Ji Hoo after that. Did you know he punched him? And when Gu Jun Pyo treated you so horribly in Macau, he punched him too. He'll be absolutely furious about this. I just know it."

"But Yi Jeong has to see the difference in those situations. It's not like he's going to punch you."

"But Jan Di-ah, it's not just me. His family's never going to accept me like this. First Su Pyo and now Gong Yoo. I'm only making him look bad...and all this after he made that big speech about me." Ga Eul wrung her hands.

"Ga Eul, you are not responsible for anything either one of those bastards did to you. If Yi Jeong can't see that then he doesn't deserve you, and he deserves more than a good kick to the head...Speaking of kicks in the head, you want me to beat up Su Pyo again?"

Ga Eul cracked a smile.

"Aniyo. Please Jan Di, don't do anything yet. I don't want to cause more of a scene with all of this."

"Aish, but why hasn't Yi Jeong called you back yet?"

"He's probably still processing it. Maybe it's better we talk after he calms down, but...I do wish he would answer my texts anyway. Only Jan Di-ah...I'm so scared."

"Yah, come here." Jan Di wrapped an arm around Ga Eul and pulled her close.

"He's going to hate me."

"He's not going to hate you."

"I already lost my brother," she mumbled as she leaned her head on Jan Di's shoulder. "I don't want to lose him too."

* * *

Following the staccato clack of So Ri's frantic footsteps down to the kiln, Hyun Sub realized how long it had been since he'd chased after a woman. His paramours always came to him, and he'd select this one to spend the evening with or that one to be his mistress for a week or two or three. Yet his heart had made its choice long ago, a choice that found him down in the bottom floor of the museum, beneath even the kitchen and maintenance quarters.

He knew it well.

Though he rarely ventured down to the basement floor where the kiln resided anymore, he and So Ri used to hide out in its warm, dark depths. His eyes steadily adjusting to the dim light, he surveyed the gloomy expanse until he made out So Ri's tiny figure huddled against the wall. Sniffling, her face hidden in her skirt, she didn't look up when he approached her, and, as people do sometimes when there is too much to say, he said nothing for a long time but sat down beside her on the grimy concrete and rested his head against the hard brick wall.

* * *

So Ri didn't know why she'd come down there. She'd run without direction or any real intent of going anywhere, just to get away. But maybe that had been her entire life for almost thirty years. Maybe she had run into one wrong decision after another.

Tucking her arms around herself, she stared at the outline of her skirt in the near-darkness. The sharp edges of the diamond ring on her left hand jutted out, weighing on her bony fingers. She could feel Hyun Sub's gaze weighing on her too, assessing her, and she wished she had long hair to hide behind. At first she had been furious with him for leaving her, but over time she'd realized she'd only been fooling herself about him. He had always been a coward, and she had known it. So who was she really supposed to blame? Him for being who he was? Or herself for blindly believing she could change him?

Perhaps regret had forced him to be bolder, but it was far too little far too late.

"So Ri," Hyun Sub whispered, "here."

He held out a handkerchief to her. Its silkiness brushed over her fingers, and she took it between her thumb and forefinger and simply held it.

"I'm going to get mascara on it," she finally said.

"What?"

"You used to tell me that I ruined all your handkerchiefs because I'd get makeup on them."

"Does it matter? I can just—"

"Buy more," she finished for him.

She flipped the handkerchief over, unfolding it and folding it back again, noting his initials embroidered into the corner.

"Could you?" she continued. "Did you get enough? Did it make you happy? Are you...satisfied?"

"No," Hyun Sub answered, shifting closer to her. "And I didn't mean—"

"Doesn't matter, now, does it?" So Ri laughed, her hollow voice bouncing off the unfinished walls. "Don't you see? We're in a chess game where everyone loses." More laughter spilled out of her, along with the last few tears she'd been holding back.

"I don't see what's so funny," Hyun Sub chided.

"Of course you can't. You're miserable, but you're safe. You've always been safe. But I...no matter how hard I try, I always end up at the bottom. And when you've cried as much as I have, you get to a point where all you can do is laugh. But it's okay." So Ri nodded and wiped her tear-streaked face with her arm. "I'm going to find my way out of this. I always have before."

"Let me help you. I didn't know about the baby. I swear I didn't know. I would have done something. I would have protected you. Why didn't you tell me?"

"For what? So your father could accuse me of blackmailing you. So I could be your mistress? It's not like you would have given up everything to marry me. And don't lie now and tell me you would have because we both know you're full of shit. So where would that have left us?" So Ri balled the handkerchief in her fists. "It was better for you not to know. I certainly didn't want your father knowing. But, you know, I was fortunate, or at least I thought I was at the time, marrying Seong Jae. I thought about having an abortion, but then...I couldn't bring myself to do it."

"How is he?"

"Hmm?"

"My son...Is he...doing well?"

"Well, I...I believe I might have spoiled him too much when he was younger. I wish he would get serious about his studies." So Ri sniffed and wistfully smiled. "But he was the cutest little boy. He...inherited your mischievousness, I think."

"I'd like to meet him...though...perhaps that is too much to ask."

"Perhaps," So Ri replied, though she had often wondered if she would ever tell her son the truth. Now it seemed she would be forced to, if only so he didn't hear it from another source.

"Is he...an artist?"

It took a moment for So Ri to snap out of her own thoughts, but when she did, she snorted, remembering the proper mess her son had made of his short-lived tutor's art studio during a particularly emotional tantrum.

"Goodness, no. Oh, I signed him up for all sorts of classes. Painting. Pottery. Sculpting. He hated all of it. He loves racing though. And that motorcycle of his. I don't think there's a shy bone in his body. Life of the party, that one, and he's hopelessly impulsive, but you can never stay mad at him because he makes you laugh so much." So Ri shook her head and sighed. "But I don't know what's going to happen now."

"What do you mean?"

"He was training to manage parts of the hotel chain, but that may cease to exist." Her nails nipped at the back of her neck as she threaded her fingers through her hair. "I've failed both of my children."

"I can still help you."

"How?" So Ri scoffed. "Were you even listening up there?"

"I can take a paternity test. I can threaten to come out with it if he doesn't leave you alone. I don't give a damn about your husband, but I can keep him from pressing charges against both of you. I know you didn't have anything to do with it. I can give you money too, as much as you need."

"Well, that's awfully noble of you," So Ri deadpanned. "You siphon me money for the next few decades so I can be a kept woman? Thanks, but...I don't want your help."

"Then at least let me help your—our—son. And your daughter, too, though I can't say I liked her."

"Do you know you are the most honest asshole I have ever known?"

"Is that a yes?"

So Ri pushed herself up with her fists, still clutching his handkerchief, and stood abruptly.

"It's a maybe. No money. But...whatever you can say to your father...I'd be grateful."

Hyun Sub stood also and faced her. Letting his searching gaze sweep over her, she allowed herself to memorize the lines now drawn on the corners of his eyes and the uncharacteristic stray stubble cropping up on his chin. In the tabloids, he looked so well kept-together, but up close he seemed tired, and today he looked his age.

"I didn't mean it...any of the things I said to you back then...I didn't mean it. I loved you. I've always loved you."

So Ri smiled sadly.

"I know. You always had so much potential."

"Potential for what?"

"To be good."

There was a long pause as the two of them wrestled with the implications of that statement.

"I'm not—"

"So be good." So Ri absently swiped at her watering eyes. "Be good to your children. Be good to your wife. Be the person I fell in love with. That's what you can do for me."

"I—"

"Excuse me." Bowing quickly, So Ri retreated toward the stairs. Metal clanged against metal as she climbed up them and swung open the door to the stairwell, letting it slam, letting it drown out the beginnings of a protest he began to utter once his thoughts had caught up with her actions. Not daring to look back, she climbed until she reached the main floor of the museum and went out through a side exit. In the bustle of tour guides and schoolchildren on field trips, she hailed a taxi, and only when she had sunk down into the leather seat and told the driver her address did she allow her grip on his handkerchief to loosen. Only then did she tuck it carefully away in her purse and wipe her mascara-stained face on her sleeve.


	55. Chapter 55

_As he drove along the winding streets of Stockholm on his way to the restaurant, Yi Jeong stole glances at his girlfriend of just over an hour, who had been fidgeting with her skirt for the entire car ride._

_He'd never get over how cute she could be, calling him out on his errant behavior one minute and blushing at his compliments the next. He had always liked making her nervous, mainly because it made him feel powerful and in control of the moment. Maybe because, he could now admit to himself, it was easier manipulating the feelings of others than paying attention to his own feelings. Yet as he watched her twiddle her hair around her fingers and noted the tension in her shoulders as she sat beside him, a new urge came over him. More than he wanted to awe Ga Eul or seduce her, he wanted her to be comfortable around him. He genuinely wanted her to have a good time._

_Reaching over when they stopped at a red light, he grabbed her left hand and brought it to rest on top of the console with his. He traced soothing circles on the back of her hand with his thumb._

_When her shoulders relaxed a bit and she sunk back into her seat, he asked, "Have you ever been outside of Korea before? And I'm not counting New Caledonia."_

" _Mmm, no...How many countries have you been to, Sunbae?"_

" _Let's see...Sweden, France—New Caledonia is a French territory—Italy, Spain, Japan, Australia—my mother's parents live there—England, and China. How many is that? Eight?...Oh, but I forgot the short tour I did when I was sixteen. I think that would be eleven altogether."_

" _Tch...showoff," Ga Eul grumbled._

" _I have to show off for my girlfriend. You might leave me for the owner of that cat...dog...animal that nearly killed me."_

" _Don't tell me you still have a grudge against the dog...Sunbae...you were really scared, weren't you? Admit it." She smiled. He'd noticed she always smiled with her eyes before it ever met her face._

" _Scared? Tch...I was surprised, that's all."_

_Ga Eul giggled._

" _I bet you didn't see something like that in all those countries you went to."_

" _There's nothing like you, Ga Eul-yang, in any country."_

_It took him a moment to realize the import of what he'd said. She must have realized it too because she didn't reply. He steadied his gaze back on the road._

" _Hey, I have something you can definitely beat me at."_

" _What's that?"_

" _How many part time jobs have you had?"_

" _What type of question is that? I've only ever worked at the porridge shop, so one."_

" _See? You only had one, and you still beat me."_

" _Are you saying you want a part time job, Sunbae?"_

" _A face like mine would be good for business."_

_Ga Eul scoffed._

" _You wouldn't last a day as waiter. I guarantee it. For one thing, you'd have to take orders from other people, which I happen to know you are incapable of."_

" _And how is it that you've managed to stay employed?"_

" _I listen to Master. He's much nicer than you."_

" _Ah...Then that means you like guys who aren't nice. And I thought Miss Ga Eul-yang was an innocent." Braking, he stopped at a red light and turned to look at her. She was already facing him, poised to dish out some of her trademark sass._

" _Obviously not. You don't date innocents, remember?"_

_As she pursed her lips, Yi Jeong's eyes swept from her playfully defiant eyes to the simple gold chain resting against her bare collarbone and back up to her mesmerizing mouth painted in a familiar shade of red._

" _Maybe I don't."_

* * *

At first, Yi Jeong couldn't feel anything when he looked at the picture. Sure, it was a stomach punch to the gut but one where the pain was perhaps too intense to be felt all at once, and before those feelings overwhelmed him, he'd reached for the only safety net he knew of—his trusty friend in a bottle. If only it contained a magic genie instead of the bitter liquid searing his throat. What should he wish for? To go back in time? To forget everything? To never meet her at all?

"What?" Slouched against the kitchen counter, he kicked at Milo, and the cat ran into the guest...well, the bedroom that was supposed to be Ga Eul's. Yi Jeong drained the remainder of the wine bottle. Even in her absence, the dumb cat preferred her.

Her.

The girl who spouted all that fucking nonsense about soulmates and happy endings.

The same girl who'd had her arms around some other guy's fucking waist, her mouth against his like they were in a still from some sappy rom-com, wearing the clothes and the handbag he'd given her.

He'd fell for her and her ridiculous notions, and the worst part of it was he'd started to believe in it. He'd really believed they must be soulmates. That there was a happy ending awaiting them just over the rainbow. The whole fucking time he'd been in Sweden, all he could think about was her. The faces she made when he teased her. Their silly arguments when she did pottery with him. The places he wanted to show her on her next visit. The feeling of warmth and security he'd always had waking up with her cuddled up next to him. Before he knew it, he'd been sucked into the light she exuded. Perhaps it had blinded him. He'd never bothered to think that she might betray him too.

In his mind, Ga Eul had been many things over time, but unfaithful was not one of them. Her dedication to her friends had impressed him from the beginning.

"Why?" he wondered aloud. It didn't make sense. It didn't fit with anything he thought he knew about her, but it had been printed for his viewing torture on thick, glossy photo paper nonetheless.

Fucking hell, who did that bastard think he was touching? And what was she doing? Just standing there. Leaning into him, no less.

If he didn't fucking break something, he might lose his shit altogether.

The better part of him knew that his grandfather was the larger problem, but she was much easier to be angry with, and in his stupor he stumbled over to his bedroom to the collection of unskilled and slightly misshapen pottery lined up on shelves across from his bed.

* * *

Woo Bin had spent the entire morning in a conference with his father about the charges So Yeong-cheol was bringing against Song construction. The story had exploded before he'd had time to explain his involvement in any of it, and his father had been far from happy to learn that his only son was selling out part of his own family. Losing the reporters tailing him had proven more challenging than he expected, but when he finally made it Yi Jeong's apartment hopefully undetected, he faced yet another challenge in getting his stubborn best friend to come to the door. He tried knocking and calling his cell phone multiple times. Just when he was about to pick the lock he heard a crash inside the apartment and instead kicked the door in, uncaring of the damage.

A muffled groan greeted him from Yi Jeong's bedroom, in addition to the broken wine bottle shards on the floor of the kitchen and a mess of papers and various items that looked like they'd been knocked down from the kitchen counter.

The potter sat on the floor of his bedroom, kneeling over a broken vase, his hands cupping a few jagged pieces, their edges digging into his palms.

"Yi Jeong!" Woo Bin hauled the drunk potter to his feet, examining the cuts on his hands-hands that were trembling but from pain or alcohol or rage Woo Bin couldn't say.

"Get a hold of yourself, Yi Jeong." He shook the potter's shoulders. "Don't start smashing everything you've made again. I'm sure there's an explanation for everything that's happening."

"I don't want your help," Yi Jeong snapped and shoved Woo Bin away. "You're a traitor too." Stumbling back toward the kitchen, he scattered the papers under his feet. Glass crunched under his black dress shoes.

"The hell...Yi Jeong, I thought we had talked about that already."

Yi Jeong slammed his fist down on the kitchen counter.

"Then why does everything keep leading back to you?"

"I...I don't...I didn't..."

"Did you know?" Yi Jeong demanded.

"Did I know what?"

"Did you know about that...about what happened with Ga Eul and that guy? Did you keep that from me too?"

"How the hell would I know that?"

"You tell me. He worked for you."

"He worked for my father. And I told you. I didn't know anything about him until you asked me to look into him."

Yi Jeong scoffed.

"You're angry now, bro. I get it. But I know Ga Eul. I know how much she loves you. You said before that they were drinking that night. You know how she gets when she's drunk."

Instead of answering, Yi Jeong grabbed another bottle of wine from the cabinet and clumsily fumbled with the cork.

"Clearly, he took advantage of her. Can't you see that?!" Woo Bin shouted.

For a moment, Yi Jeong appeared not to hear him. He got that far off, vexed look in his eyes that he always got before he flew into a rage, so when he finally spoke, the raspy, wounded tone in his voice took Woo Bin by surprise.

"No...I took advantage. And now, I'm going to destroy her. My grandfather's going to see to that."

"Yi Jeong...This isn't your fault."

"Isn't it though? I knew what this world does to people. It twists them until they either break or become as twisted as everyone else. I was the one who warned Jun Pyo from the beginning. But because I...I..."

Yi Jeong drew out a ragged breath.

"You loved her," Woo Bin finished for him as Yi Jeong took a slow, long gulp from the new bottle.

Setting the bottle down, Yi Jeong gripped the sides of the sink and stared into the metallic void.

"I wanted to break it. All the pottery in there. But I couldn't do it." His voice broke over the words. "And it didn't matter because the damn thing slipped from my hands anyway."


	56. Chapter 56

The red numbers on the digital clock by the TV bled together, spilling out of their incandescent glass enclosure and into Yi Jeong's glazed, unfocused eyes. Woo Bin sat next to him on the couch, muttering how fucked up everything had gotten in so little time, while Yi Jeong sipped the strong coffee Woo Bin had made over an hour ago.

It was cold now.

What it came down to, Woo Bin continued, was that he was focusing on the wrong things. He'd seen the disastrous results of his grandfather's doings right in front of him, personified by his father and So Ri. By building such a scandal around Ga Eul, his grandfather had definitely meant to make her look bad, but he'd also meant to distract Yi Jeong from the real enemy by straining his relationship with her. It didn't mean anything. They knew Ga Eul. They knew Ga Eul's character. Remember what happened with Jan Di when she was drugged? Why the hell was his grandfather having Ga Eul followed at that time anyway?

Was Yi Jeong even listening to him?

"Bro? You there?"

"What?"

"You spaced out there."

"Oh...I was just...trying to figure out what I'm going to say to her." Yi Jeong stood up and set his handmade earthen coffee mug down on the coffee table in front of them. An X-box controller lay next to it, taunting him with the memories of their reckless younger days. Yi Jeong let out a heavy sigh and drove his fingers through his hair.

"Only I can't think anymore. I can't...aish, it's too much!" he exclaimed. "Why couldn't he leave it alone?" He turned to Woo Bin, who stayed seated. "What does he want from me? That I sit when he says sit and stand when he says stand?! Maybe he made that museum what it is, but I've made my fair share too. It's not like I was sitting around like a lazy bum all these years. And I stayed. I stayed! Even after Il Hyun left, I stayed. I worked my ass off for him here and in Sweden, even with this stupid hand, and for what? To be his prized puppet? Just like my father. I'm sick of it! And he can take those pots from the exhibition, and shove it up his—"

_Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang._

"Who's that?" Woo Bin sat up straighter and looked over at the front door.

Yi Jeong slid his gaze back to the clock.

3:34 AM, it read.

"I'll get it."

"No. I'll go." Woo Bin jumped up and was at the door before Yi Jeong could protest.

Swinging it open, he greeted the person on the other side familiarly, and then Yi Jeong heard the unmistakable timber of his father's voice echo back.

A moment later, the aging ladies' man stepped into the apartment and fixed his thoughtful gaze on Yi Jeong, greeting him warmly as if they always dropped by each other's living spaces for a friendly chat.

In the wee hours of the morning.

He also looked more determined about something than Yi Jeong had seen him in years.

"What are you doing here?" Yi Jeong asked, skipping the pleasantries.

"I made a mistake."

"A mistake? Just one?" Yi Jeong scoffed. "Is that what you call your first son? Or no. I thought we were all mistakes."

"Bro, just listen to him," Woo Bin replied.

"Did you tell him to come here?" Yi Jeong shot him a look.

Woo Bin held up his hands defensively.

"Yi Jeong, I've been where you are right now, almost thirty years ago," his father continued. "You listened to me tell you all the wrong things for so long. Please let me tell you the truth now."

"Why?" Yi Jeong narrowed his eyes.

"Because I have too much to regret and too little to show for what I gave up."

Glancing between the two of them, Yi Jeong tamped down the urge to take out his frustration on his father. In the absence of his grandfather, he'd like to rail at him, to blame him for not being man enough, but in truth Yi Jeong had begun to understand his struggles. If only because they had both been wounded by the same party, he finally lowered himself back down to the couch and muttered, "So talk."

A moment later, the couch dipped under the weight of Woo Bin sitting back down next to him. Following after Woo Bin, Yi Jeong's father pulled up a bar stool on the opposite side of the coffee table separating them.

Yi Jeong stared at the fine ridges engraved in the edge of the table.

"Then...shall we start at the beginning?"


	57. Chapter 57

_Thirty One Years Ago_

He didn't see her until he had stumbled over her, landing face first in the rough grass.

"Omo, I-I'm so sorry. A-are you okay?" the new girl from his art history class stammered, jumping up from where she had been lying on the lawn in front of the art building. Over-sized round glasses swallowed up half of her face; the glasses fell to the tip of her nose as she leaned over him, her messy bangs plastered to her forehead in the cooling midnight summer heat.

Pushing himself from the ground, Hyun Sub brushed a few loose strands of grass from his face and stared indignantly at her as she leaned back on scrawny, scraped legs. Not bothering to answer, he demanded, "Why are you lying out here in the middle of the night? You're not homeless, are you?"

"Why were you running? You're not a criminal, are you?" She shot back, adjusting her peach-colored skirt as she awkwardly maneuvered herself to a standing position. Strands of grass clung to her stringy hair, which fell in a limp, tangled mess over her shoulders. Yellow smudges of what he supposed had been her dinner dotted the front of her white collared blouse. While he couldn't call her completely unattractive, she'd always struck him as the sort who never checked her appearance in a mirror. It seemed she would prove him right.

"I left something in the art building," he answered vaguely, ready to put an end to their unbidden conversation.

"Something?"

"Something." Avoiding her intense stare, he dusted off his dark blue dress pants. He could already see a grass stain forming on one cuff.

"You're So Hyun Sub, aren't you?"

"Yes," Hyun Sub muttered, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. True, they weren't exactly friends, but he thought surely she must know that. Everyone knew who he was, from the college president to the lowest-paid janitor.

When he looked up, though, she was still staring at him as though he'd come from another planet.

Oh, great.

He'd stumbled over one of his lovesick fan girls, though he'd never took her to be the type.

Sighing, he nearly launched into one of his oft-rehearsed suave apologies when she interrupted him.

"You did leave something in the art building."

"What?"

Reaching into the large tan satchel on the ground behind her, she pulled out a sketchbook.

"This. They're really very good."

Hyun Sub snatched the book out of her hands.

"They're also private," he snapped.

Unfazed, she pressed on. "You should show some of your designs to the professor."

"What I do with my drawings is my business."

"But you could really win some awards with those."

Oh, great.

An opinionated dimwit.

"In case you don't know, being a country girl and all, I'm already quite a successful artist, and if you'll excuse me, I'm also quite busy."

"Not those though." Grabbing her bag, she followed him to the steps of the art building, practically running to keep pace with his long strides. "I've seen your work. You haven't done anything like what's in those sketches."

Hyun Sub grunted and reached for the door, but she beat him to it, her long hair batting him in the face as she bounded inside the dark lobby. Only the emergency lights greeted them, leaving an eerie pall over the sterile white walls and the pale, dirt-tinged tile flooring. For a school that claimed to be a beacon of creative expression, the interior décor appealed to Hyun Sub's artistic senses about as much as a hospital wing.

"I saw a horror movie like this once," she mumbled, stopping under a light that filtered down to crown her tangled hair.

When she turned, wide-eyed and grinning nonsensically, she looked nearly angelic.

Or wraith-like.

He couldn't be sure.

He realized, rather abruptly, that he couldn't remember her name.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked instead, annoyed but curious.

"There's a meteor shower tonight. If you want, you can watch it with me. Should be here in about...twenty minutes." She squinted at her watch.

"Can't. My father's waiting for me, and I have to study."

"That's a shame." She frowned as though they were best friends and he had broken some long-laid plan. "It's supposed to be the largest one this year."

"If that's so, why didn't you drag one of your friends out here in the middle of the night?"

"Ah, that"—she toyed with one of her tangles—"to be honest, I don't have that many friends. But I think you're pretty popular. How come I never see you at any school events?"

"I don't have time," he answered, turning to the hallway on the right.

She giggled and skipped over to him.

"Time for what? Living?"

Passing by her, he replied, "No. I don't have time to continue this conversation. Excuse me."

"My father says a truly successful life is achieved through balance," she continued in a sing-song voice, following him down the hall.

"Did your father also teach you to follow strange boys into dark buildings at night?"

"But you're not—"

"Shhh!" Hyun Sub paused, and the girl halted beside him, cocking her head to the side. "Do you hear that?" he muttered under his breath.

A creaking noise trailed down to them from the stairwell opposite where they stood, several feet from each other, and as the noise grew louder, the girl edged closer to him.

"I told you I saw a horror film like this," she whispered.

A light shot through the tiny window of the door leading into the stairwell, and Hyun Sub snatched her out of the hallway and into a classroom.

"What are you—" she hissed, but Hyun Sub cut her off by placing a hand over her mouth.

He held her against the wall until the same shaft of light had passed over the room and the sound of footsteps retreating down the hall had disappeared altogether.

"Campus police," he muttered when he had released her mouth.

"What have you got to worry about? Why don't you just show them your name badge? I'm sure they'll escort you anywhere you want to go." She raised her arm dramatically.

Ignoring her comment, Hyun Sub released his grip on her wrist and started moving around the room, searching for the object of his late night excursion.

"What are you looking for?"

"Shhh! Can you talk any louder?"

"Sorry."

Pacing to the back of the room, he rifled through a few books before finding the folder the first year student was supposed to have absconded for him. Opening it, he held its pages up to the moonlit window to make certain of the folder's contents. Her movement behind him startled him, and he slammed the file shut, but not before the girl could see what it was.

"Are those the answers to our mid-term?" she exclaimed, her eyes growing wide.

"No."

"You can't fool me."

"Fine. But you didn't see them. In fact, you were never here. Understand?" He glared at her, hoping to get his point across.

"And here I thought you were smarter than me this whole time. I may not have the highest grade in the class, but I least I earned mine." Crossing her arms, she knitted her eyebrows together sternly.

"You don't _have_ to have the highest grade in the class."

"Well, maybe I, too, would like to be a self-absorbed fraud. Did you actually draw anything in that sketchbook I just gave you?" She feigned a gasp. "Are you really a potter?"

"Look, what do you want? The answers? I'll make you a copy."

"No. I want that copy." She pointed at the folder. "I want to see how smart you are without it. I don't actually believe you know anything about art."

"I know about art. I know how to make it, and I know how to judge it. But memorizing all these names and dates is pointless."

"I don't know. I like reading about artists' lives."

"Nobody cares about their lives, only what they left behind. People remember what you did, not how long you were married or how many kids you had."

"But people's lives inform their work. Are you saying it's not important to have people you love?"

"I'm saying it's late, and I need to go home so I can memorize this before tomorrow. Now. Do you want a copy? Money? What is it?"

"You really think I'm going to tell on you, don't you?"

"What. Do. You. Want?"

To his suprise, she smirked and laughed, a pleasant laugh that seemed to indicate she meant no harm.

At least he thought so until she stepped awkwardly close to him and leaned in.

"I'll let you know. I'm Baek So Ri, by the way."

He stared at her.

Up close she had nice features behind her glasses.

He batted that last thought away before it could take root.

When he didn't say anything, she bowed and stepped back.

"Well. I'll see you in class," she continued as though they had settled something, waving as she headed out of the room. "Good luck memorizing all of that."

* * *

"Wanna be partners?"

"Excuse me?"

Hyun Sub squinted up at the overeager girl who had become a bit of a nuisance to him, unwelcome or not, over the past few weeks since their late night meeting.

"I'm letting you know what I want," she replied, grinning as she sat down backwards in the desk in front of his. "I want to be your partner for the project. See how smart you actually are." She propped her head up with knobby elbows on his desk.

"Are you always this bossy?"

"Do you always let girls boss you around?"

"What are you—We're talking about you, not me."

"Are we?" She arched an eyebrow. "I think it depends on how you look at it. I'll never be the boss of you unless you let me."

Her? The boss of him? They were leagues apart, separated a vast system of social ties and allegiances.

Yet she didn't seem to be aware of her innate inferiority. Or maybe she simply ignored it. Either way, he thought he ought to set her straight before someone really—

"Oh look, it's So Ri," Seo Jin approached his desk and stood beside So Ri, hovering over him like a she-wolf laying claim to her territory. He knew Seo Jin had initiated their class's general antagonism toward So Ri, spreading a few absurdly dirty rumors about her before So Ri had even finished her first week at the school. Now Seo Jin inspected her sparkling pink nails in an attempt to look bored. "Do you know that in English So Ri means 'sorry'? Your entire existence is an apology. Don't even think about partnering with Hyun Sub Oppa. He's already partnering with—"

"Yes."

"What?" So Ri and Seo Jin both answered.

"Yes, I'm partners with So Ri. The professor put the two of us together, so I suggest you move along."

If his words hadn't convinced her, seeing as the professor hadn't put anyone together, his tone must have shut her up. Pouting, Seo Jin trounced off and left him with So Ri awkwardly staring at the top of his desk.

"So..." she began.

"Meet me at the front of the school at three o'clock. We can go back to my house to start on the project." Stuffing his notebook in his book bag, he stood up and made his way toward the door, not bothering to glance at her or Seo Jin.

He kicked himself all the way to the parking lot where his chauffeur already had his car idling at the front of the line.

* * *

He didn't know how it had happened. One day, he'd begrudgingly agreed to be her partner, and before long they had entered into a silent but mutual understanding of each other as sort-of, secret friends.

The girls he knew from school usually annoyed him with their idle, mindless chatter, but the way she thought and spoke about things intrigued him. She actually knew things worth knowing, and when she got excited she talked with her hands, sometimes accidentally knocking over a bottle of paint or a glass of water.

Even her clumsiness had a cuteness to it.

It didn't hurt that behind her glasses she had, he'd allowed himself to admit, quite pleasant features and eyes that sparkled when she laughed.

She laughed a lot, and that intrigued him, too. No one treated her decently enough for her to have anything to laugh about, but she'd find humor in any situation. They traded ridiculous anecdotes about famous artists and began a mutual prank war that went on for weeks.

Their original project came and went, but she continued coming to his house for study sessions when he knew his father wouldn't be home, an unexpected blot of passion in his tepid existence.

Sometimes he felt like he hadn't existed at all until he met her.

Then one day she arrived an hour late to his house, her hands and arms scraped and bloody. She'd gotten into a fight, and some of the girls had pushed her down a flight of stairs in front of the school. It wasn't intentional, she'd said. The falling down the stairs part, not the pushing part.

He'd gotten angry at her. She ought to take better care of herself, he'd scolded. What good was a painter with injured hands?

Why he'd kissed her then, clutching her battered hands in his own powerless ones while cherry blossoms lazily nestled in the dust under their feet, he didn't completely understand, but after that day, he never let her walk home from school by herself again.

* * *

The amusement park had been temporarily closed due to an unfortunate fatality earlier in the week, so instead of losing his birthday cake in a waste bin next to So Ri's new favorite roller coaster, Hyun Sub ate the light confection on the fine china she'd stolen from her dad's pantry as they sat beside the lake.

"I'm so upset," So Ri commented, picking the icing off of her cake and transferring it to his plate. "I wanted to ride that new cylinder one that goes upside down while you're spinning."

"Wow, so exciting," Hyun Sub deadpanned. "My stomach's doing flips just thinking about it."

So Ri chuckled, and her shoulders shook.

"Who knew school's coolest chaebol had such a weak stomach?" She flung a piece of non-iced cake at him.

"You're been trying to kill me since you met me."

"Seriously? Where's the challenge in that? You're too easy to kill."

"You missed a spot." He pointed at the cake.

"Huh?" As soon as she looked down, he spotted his opening and smeared the remnants of her icing all over her cheek.

"Yah! Maybe I will kill you!"

Roaring with laughter, he pulled back as she tried to slap him, and she chased him all the way into the lake.

When they finally emerged, sopping wet and unsure of what to do except sit out in the cooling afternoon air until their clothes had dried enough to get back in his car, she took out a small glass bottle from her purse and handed it to him.

"What's this?" Hyun Sub asked, taking the bottle of brightly colored origami stars from her perpetually ink-stained fingers.

"It's part of your birthday present. I'm giving you your own bottle of stars, so even if you miss the shooting ones, you'll still have plenty wishes. I won't ask you for anything else, but you can ask me for lots of things now if you want."

In the light of the setting sun, her normally dark brown eyes took on a lighter chestnut color, and he thought that the sunset had nothing on her.

For his first wish, he wanted that moment to last forever.

* * *

"So Ri, we knew this was coming...So Ri?" Hyun Sub glanced at the girl sitting next to him on the park bench, her arms tense at her sides. She hadn't spoken since his long pronouncement about his impending engagement and the host of reasons why they needed to stop seeing each other. Instead, she stared at the geese pecking the ground a few feet away. Pecking, pecking though Hyun Sub didn't see any crumbs.

"I didn't mean for..." he began again, then trailed off. What hadn't he meant? The more he thought about them, the more pathetic his excuses sounded. He'd known about his engagement to Chung Ae since their high school days. Even if his father hadn't objected to So Ri because he thought her beneath Hyun Sub, no way would his father break trust with Chung Ae's father over something as trivial as 'puppy love,' as his father had termed it.

"So Ri," he tried again, "he'll ruin you if we try to go against him on this. He'll ruin your reputation, not mine. He'll make it so you never get any respect, as an artist or otherwise. Don't you see? I'm doing this for your own good."

So Ri turned to him then, unshed tears glistening in her eyes but her face hard and unforgiving.

"Me? You're doing this for me? What were you doing for the past three years?" Her voice shook. "Am I a toy you can use and throw away when you've grown up? When you've decided to take responsibility?" She spat out the last word like a poison.

"It wasn't like that."

"No? Then what was it like? You said it yourself. You know you were going to leave me the whole time."

"I didn't...I mean I did...It wouldn't work."

"Hyun Sub." She reached for his hand. He batted her away, but she only latched onto his arm instead. "Hyun Sub, we could leave here. We could go somewhere nobody knows us and start over, just the two of us."

Hyun Sub shook her off and stood up.

"And do what? Live in the woods? Work on a farm? Become a shame to our families? Neither of us has ever been on our own or even worked at a regular job." He had his back turned to her now. "We're ill-suited to be anything other than what we are."

He sensed her get up from the bench though he couldn't see her. A feather-weight touch on his shoulder confirmed it.

"The stars are really pretty out there. Remember?"

Stars.

The stars?!

"No. I don't remember, and after today I suggest you don't either." Straightening up, he stepped out of her reach again, feeling her hand slip away as she drew it back from his shoulder.

Longing to let it linger there.

He counted his breaths until she spoke again, low and dark.

"Oh go on then...Be what you are."

Lifting his leaden legs, he took a few more tentative steps away from her.

"Coward!" she called after him.

A group of old ladies hunched over their needlework appraised him critically as he passed, and he sped up.

"Hey!...Hyun Sub! Wait!"

Her voice followed him, carrying over the squabbling geese and the screaming children until he reached his car at the other end of the park.

Too quick for her, he kept running.

If he turned back, he would have to face her with his own tears.

If he faced her, he would have to face himself and, with that, the realization that the world was not so black and white as his father taught him. There were right decisions and wrong decisions and a whole host of deadly in-betweens where no one completely won.


	58. Chapter 58

So it had come to this, Ga Eul thought, as she entered Yi Jeong's old studio. Lamplight shone through the windows into the near-darkness of the empty space where once clay vessels in various unfinished states rested on tables and on the wall-to-wall shelves. Now, the room had been stripped of all such adornments. Tables, chairs, Yi Jeong's potter's wheel—these were nowhere to be seen. She'd heard the place had been renovated in Yi Jeong's absence, but in truth it looked so different—so devoid of the memories of him she'd always kept close to her heart—that she felt herself tearing up already.

They were back to where they had started and yet not where they had started. Not at all.

'Be strong, Ga Eul,' she berated herself. At the moment, she didn't have time for tears. It also wouldn't do for what she was about to say.

She'd been thinking long and hard about it, and she'd decided to let him go. Not because his family scared her—though they did—and not because she felt she'd betrayed him—though she had—but because she wasn't good for him. No matter how she saw it, she didn't fit into his world, and his world certainly didn't—and wouldn't—make room for her. Perhaps it was fortuitous that he had asked to meet her here. They could end where they had begun.

The door creaked open behind her, and when she turned around Yi Jeong stood there in a black three piece suit, sans tie, his hair disheveled and damp with rain.

"Hi," he greeted her.

"Hi," she replied, shifting nervously in her black heels.

"Don't," she continued when he reached for the light switch. She preferred the darkness for this particular encounter. "I mean...Wouldn't that make it easier for the reporters?"

_Or your grandfather._

"You've gotten wiser."

"I hope so...Did you...listen to my messages?"

He nodded.

"Jan Di...She told us what happened with your brother. Are you...okay?"

Her brother? Oh, right. That. As bad as it sounded, she'd tried to push that new information to the back of her mind where she could process it later. One ill fate at a time.

"Yes...Yes, I'm all right now. It...It was really shocking at first, but it explained a lot, I guess. Especially why my father hated Gong Yoo Oppa so much...Speaking of"—Ga Eul lowered her voice and looked at her shoes—"Sunbae, you have to know that I don't remember that night hardly at all. I would never...knowingly...I mean...I would never want to hurt you in any way. Ever."

"I know."

When she looked up, Yi Jeong's expression remained calm, perhaps too calm, but still he did not approach her.

It was better this way. She didn't need him so close she could breathe him in or lean forward just to fall back into his arms.

"You do?" she croaked.

"I know. I know you'd never intentionally hurt me."

_That's not true. All I do is hurt you._

"I'm not...angry with you. If anything, I'm angry at the bastard who kissed you and more angry at the bastard who took the picture."

"But...you wouldn't talk to me for almost a week. You just...disappeared."

Yi Jeong shifted from side to side in a rare show of nervousness.

"I was...thinking things over and...I think it'd be best if—"

"If we stop here," she finished.

"What?"

"I just..." Ga Eul swallowed down the knot in her throat. "I don't think I can do this any more, Sunbae."

_I can't mess things up for you anymore._

"What do you mean? This what?"

"I just mean that...M-maybe you can deal with it. You've grown up with all the publicity. And the criticism. But I just can't do this," The well-rehearsed speech felt foreign on her lips when she said the words out loud.

To him.

"I thought I could," she continued haltingly, "but I just can't. My parents aren't too happy with all of it either."

"So you..."

"I want to break up."

"You...You want to..." His voice wavered in what seemed like disbelief.

"I'm not the girl you thought I was, Sunbae. I'm not even the girl I thought I was. And I just can't." Ga Eul stuffed her shaking hands into her coat pockets and gripped the used tissues buried in them. In the dim light, he couldn't see the tears brimming in her eyes, could he?

"Why?" Yi Jeong stepped closer to her, and suddenly she could see the tiredness in his eyes. "Ga Eul-yang, if this is about those articles, I told you I'd take care of it. I'm making them print a retraction."

"It's not...It's not about that."

"Then what?"

"Sunbae, you were right. I'm just a country girl after all. I don't...want...my whole life to be splashed on the front page of the news. For photographers to stalk me day and night."

"Ga Eul-yang." Yi Jeong took a few more steps until he was almost right on top of her.

"You can hate me for this if you want, but I've made my decision. Here, t-take it," Ga Eul stammered. She held out her engagement ring to him.

He knocked her hand away, and the ring clattered to the floor.

"What are you doing, Ga Eul-yang?"

"Goodbye, Sunbae." She tried to push past him, but he grabbed her wrist and swung her around to back her into the counter behind them. He'd prepared tea for her on that same counter an eternity ago.

"Sunbae, you're hurting me," she pleaded as she struggled to break her wrist free. "Please let me go."

"What did my grandfather threaten you with now?"

"Nothing!" she protested, perhaps a bit too vehemently. "Nothing, I just...Sunbae, please—"

"Not until you tell me the real reason for this!" Yi Jeong urged, gripping her arms.

"I just told you," Ga Eul exclaimed, twisting herself away to no avail.

Yi Jeong let her wrists go and leaned against the counter, putting less space between them even as he released her. Boxed in, Ga Eul could only stare at the wisp of a charcoal thread separating from the collar on his dress shirt.

She couldn't look at his eyes, at the pain she knew she would find there.

He didn't speak for a long time, but when he did, his voice came out chillingly quiet, "Someone once told me that children don't let go of what they want because they know if they do they will cry."

"A child told you that."

"It doesn't matter. No matter how you look at it, when children grow up, they still cry when they lose something they love."

He twisted a few tendrils of her hair around his fingers and combed them off to the side. Trailing his hand down the side of her face to her neck, he cupped her chin.

"Ga Eul-yang."

"Sunbae." Pulling his hand away from her face, she brought it down to his side where she clutched it in her own hand nonetheless.

"You worked so hard in Sweden," she began quietly, "and you were so excited about your exhibition...and...don't you see? This is bigger than you or me. I'd only be pulling you down more if I stay with you. I don't want to ruin your reputation...everything you've worked for. If I thought I would make you miserable, I'd rather not be with you at all."

"Make me...You think _you_ make me miserable? Ga Eul-yang, you're one of the only people in my life who doesn't make me miserable."

"But I—"

"When I first saw that picture of you and Gong Yoo"—he paused and she flinched—"I'm not gonna lie, I was pretty pissed off. I was angry at you for being so stupid and then at my grandfather for having you followed and then at Gong Yoo for taking advantage of you like that. But the more I thought about it, I was mostly angry because there was another guy kissing _my_ girl. I told you I'm not a good guy. I can be as selfish as Jun Pyo when I really want something, and I'm the most selfish guy in the world when it comes to you. Just the thought of another guy touching you, making you laugh"—he let out a heavy breath—"making you cry...It's too much. I won't stand for it. Not unless I'm dead." Taking her other hand in his, he continued urgently, "Do you know what I was most excited about when I came back from Sweden?"

Ga Eul shook her head, threading her fingers through his though the gesture was perhaps too intimate. She didn't care. It was her only anchor in the deluge of emotions threatening to overwhelm her.

"That I'd get to see you every day. That's the thing I wanted most when I was in Sweden. I wanted it even more than I wanted to be a great potter again. And the thing is, if I had to choose between being a great potter and being with you, I'd pick you. Every time."

"Y-you say that n-now, but you—"

"Shhh." Pressing a finger to her lips, he whispered, "I'm picking you."

"What?" she mumbled as he drew his finger back.

A faint glimmer of mischief shone in his dark eyes, boasting equal parts confidence and childishness.

"Sunbae...what did you do?"


	59. Chapter 59

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is also a bit of smut at the end of this chapter. Again, nothing super graphic, but it is there.

_"Good Morning, Harabeoji," Yi Jeong greeted his grandfather coolly as the old man entered his office, his gaze sweeping over a half dozen empty chairs and priceless antiques—minus the pitcher that had been smashed—until it landed on Yi Jeong, who had taken up residence at his grandfather's desk._

_In his grandfather's chair._

_"What's the meaning of this?"_

_"I have an urgent matter to discuss." Yi Jeong pretended to wipe a speck of dust off of the desk._

_"Then sit somewhere else, and we'll discuss it," the old man grumbled as he made his way into the room, briefcase in hand._

_"I prefer this angle, if you don't mind."_

_Setting his briefcase down on the coffee table positioned mid-way between the desk and the door, the elder So replied, "You'll sit in that chair when you've earned the right to."_

_"And you've earned the right to...do what? Play weaver of fate to everyone who passes through these doors?"_

_"Fate? What nonsense are you mumbling at this hour?"_

_Yi Jeong clenched his jaw and, along with it, the newspaper he held out to his grandfather as he stood up, spitting his next words out, "What nonsense did you rattle off to this reporter when you gave him this picture? And what's next? Where does it end? Will you have her accused of murder next? Embezzling funds? Prostitution? Look at you, reduced to attacking a common kindergarten teacher who wouldn't lift a finger against you even if she could." He scoffed. "Are you that afraid of Yi Seong Jae? Or have you grown so old and weak that the only way you can keep your golden empire afloat is on a bed of scandals and lies?" He slapped the newspaper down._

_"Yi Jeong, now you listen—"_

_"No, you listen old man!" Yi Jeong leaned forward with his hands curled around the edge of the desk. "You have insulted the person I love most in the world in every way possible. You've reopened all her old wounds with your careless selfishness. You've slandered and humiliated her on every major news network. Her parents are grieving the death of her brother all over again. Is there no end to your pride? Is there no end to your mindless cruelty?"_

_"Everything I did was in the best interest of the family. This family."_

_"If this is your idea of family, I don't want any part of it." Yi Jeong pulled an envelope out of his breast pocket and set it on the desk next to the newspaper. "I came to give you this."_

_"Well, I certainly hope you haven't resorted to bribes."_

_"It's my resignation letter for the museum...and for you. Now you can have your desk back."_

_"I don't follow." The elder So's eyes narrowed._

_"I'm leaving. Just like you disowned Hyung, I'm disowning you." Yi Jeong circled slowly around the desk and continued, "I've already instructed all of my belongings left in my parents' house to be moved over to my apartment this afternoon. Except for my car. You might remember my father bought that for me, and he said I could keep it. So you see, I'm finished. With all of it. And especially with you."_

_"You foolish boy, do you realize what this means?" he replied gruffly. "You'll be cut out of the inheritance. All of your funds will be cut off immediately. You will also forfeit your share of stocks in the museum."_

_"Fine."_

_"All of the artwork you so graciously donated to the museum stays here, even if you go, including the pieces you made in Sweden."_

_Yi Jeong nodded. He would have expected as much, even if the latter pieces hadn't still been under contract. He'd half expected his grandfather to try to cut a deal with him, to get him to stay a bit longer, but the old man still had his pride._

_It was the only thing he would have, Yi Jeong realized, now that both of his grandsons had left him._

_"Yi Jeong, if you walk out of that door, you will never be welcome back. Understand?" For a second, Yi Jeong thought he heard his grandfather's voice break, but his expression remained as stern and unforgiving as ever._

_"I understand everything now." Yi Jeong strolled past him. "I understand how little you value your investments. And you say my father's bad with numbers."_

_"What's that supposed to mean?"_

_"There's a lot of things you can take from me, Harabeoji, but you can never undo the twenty-five years you just wasted on making me what I am. Why don't you think about that while you're sitting alone behind your priceless desk?"_

_The office door thudded shut behind him._

* * *

"You didn't have to do that just for me," Ga Eul whispered, safely cocooned in the heat of his body as they sat on the floor.

"I didn't do it just for you." Yi Jeong kissed the top of her head. "You were part of it, but I also...I used to think that family—the kind you're tied to by blood—was forever, that no matter what they did you should always stick by them because of who they are, because their poison is in you too, just by being born to them. But you—and Jan Di—made me realize that everyone is their own person, no matter where they come from. And I think... I think that some people are so set on destroying other people that they can't be redeemed, not even by blood. In some twisted way, I suppose I'll always love my grandfather the way I remember him from when I was a boy. But as a man, I can't excuse him. I'll lose everyone I love if I do that. I'll even lose myself if I do that."

"But...what are you going to do if you leave the museum?"

"You make that museum sound like it's my death sentence." Yi Jeong had started playing with her hair halfway through the story. She doubted many people had ever noticed how much he fiddled with any available object when he got nervous, but with him being an artist, she supposed his constant need to occupy his hands made sense. The first time she'd noticed it, they'd been at Madame Kang's dinner where she'd announced Jun Pyo's engagement to Jae Kyung. Her phone had dropped to the floor, and when she'd ducked under the table to retrieve it, she saw him clutching his cloth napkin like he might twist the life out of it. At present, he let go of her hair and locked their fingers together and placed a kiss on her cheek, then another, then another.

When he moved down to her neck, she gripped his hand tighter and tugged on it.

"Yi Jeong, you still haven't answered my question."

Clearing his throat, he paused.

"I have an opportunity, but I don't know that you'll like it."

"What do you mean, I won't like it?...What is it?"

He cleared his throat again.

"One of my mentors...in Sweden...recommended me to a position as an assistant artistic director. There's some other contacts I have over there if that doesn't pan out. I could also do some teaching at the university I studied at. I know that might seem like I'm running. But to be honest, since I have the opportunity, it might be best for me to get away from Seoul until things calm down. I doubt I'll have many opportunities here for an artistic career if my grandfather has any say in it. I won't have my inheritance anymore or access to the family funds, but I still have money I made on my own, plus some stocks and investments. Anyway, it might nice...to prove I can do something on my own."

"You can do anything, Sunbae. I always knew that." Ga Eul squeezed his hand, but he avoided meeting her eyes.

"I know I won't be able to apologize enough to your parents for everything that has happened, but I hope I can prove to them how much I care about you by how hard I'll work in the future. Though...I'm not really sure how you would feel about...moving to Sweden." Yi Jeong lowered his gaze. "I'm sorry. I know that would be taking you away from your family, and it might be really hard for you adjusting. You can say 'no.' It's all right. I won't hold it against you. But I...I would like it if you came."

For a moment, Ga Eul didn't answer as she processed all the information he had just unloaded onto her. It seemed unreal that thirty minutes ago she had been set on never seeing him again, and now he was asking her to move to another country with him.

It also seemed unreal that her immediate answer, at least in her head, was yes. Even after everything, she wanted to be with him more than she wanted anything else in the world. Love was nonsensical that way, she'd concluded. She would never not be in love with him. She would never give up an opportunity to be with him if she knew that would make him happy, even if it meant giving up the rest of her life as she knew it.

Her hand trembled as it caressed his face, and finally he looked up at her again.

"Because I'm your soulmate?" she asked, half-joking.

"No. Because you're the love of my life. Soulmates or not, I want to be with you anyway."

She smiled.

"Sunbae, you really are an idiot if you think I'm going to stay here with my family and with my friends while you move off to some foreign country all by yourself." She dropped her hand. "I wouldn't be able to sleep at night thinking about how alone you must feel." She stood up and looked him over. "Besides, look at yourself! I bet you've hardly eaten anything in the past couple of days. There's no way you could survive in Sweden without your staff and without me too. You'd probably starve to death. Let me guess. You don't even know how to cook ramen."

"Is that a 'yes'?"

Ga Eul smiled again, wider this time.

"For once, Sunbae, you are correct. It's a 'yes.'"

Yi Jeong's face broke into a huge grin, and he stood.

"Saranghae...Gomawo...Saranghae."

She giggled as Yi Jeong pulled her into a crushing hug and squealed as he swung her around.

When he finally set her down and pulled back so he could look at her face again, Ga Eul reached up and grabbed one side of his open shirt collar.

"You're not wearing a tie today, Sunbae. You always wear a tie." She pressed her hand against his chest.

He didn't reply to her, but his dark eyes sparkled with intensity as he regarded her. Slowly, he leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. Then another kiss on her left cheek, then the other cheek, then her nose, then her lips. He kissed her like that over and over again, in no particular order, one arm wrapped around her waist, until he finally found her neck and her throat and her fingers that had begun fumbling with the buttons on her blouse, and kissed her fingertips. Suddenly, her body felt hot and cold all over, and she knew that she wanted him to kiss every inch of her body, just like that, until there wasn't any part of her that he hadn't touched, that didn't belong to him and only him.

Grabbing his wrist, she pulled him behind the counter and out of sight of the windows. The cold hardwood welcomed her bare skin as he laid her down and stripped her, and she, in turn, welcomed his hands that wandered everywhere at once. First her blouse came off, followed by her camisole. She heard a _thump_ as Yi Jeong tossed her bra into the darkness somewhere. He kissed her mouth again, hard, and his hands embraced her hips. She ran her fingers through his hair, and he ran his hands up her skirt, tugging her tights down and then her underwear. He nibbled on her lip, and her hands fumbled with his belt. His mouth closed around her throat as his warm hand rested on her inner thigh. She felt his tongue, his teeth roam over her chest. His fingers entered her, and she grasped his hair and moaned as his tongue ran over her breasts. Finally, he pushed himself into the space between her thighs, and in the sudden pain she felt like she was dying until another sensation suddenly took over and she could hardly breathe at all.


	60. Chapter 60

_One Month Later_

On the outside veranda of a small house in Paris, two steaming mugs of coffee sat untouched between two silent, dark-haired women, one French by birth and one French by necessity. As the vapor rose to disappear in the cooling fall air, words came and vanished just as quickly on So Ri's tongue. Madeleine had been off—shaky, withdrawn—since their departure from Korea. Not that they had ever talked much, but even her daughter's biting remarks had ceased, replaced by a sullenness that hung over their otherwise empty house like the outcome of the trial that weighed so heavily on So Ri's mind these days.

In the end, everything had spilled out like a house of cards collapsing in on itself: Seong Jae's plans to steal from the museum, So Yeong-cheol's own dealings on the black market, the Song family's connections to all of it, and how the dead man photographed with Chu Ga Eul fit in. While the convoluted story played itself out in court, So Ri had retreated to the country house they vacationed at often when her kids were small. Surprisingly, Madeleine had followed her without protest. They'd even been taking meals together, albeit awkward ones. A few nights ago, she'd woken up to the sound of Madeleine's screams, and she'd held her in the dead of night until she had calmed down enough to go back to sleep.

They hadn't spoken of it since.

Breakfast had been brought out ten minutes ago, but neither of the women had bothered to pick up their forks. A few times it seemed like Madeleine was going to say something, but so far nothing had come out.

Chewing her chapped bottom lip, Madeleine curled herself into a tighter ball in her chair across from So Ri at the small white iron-wrought table. A blue and white striped maxi skirt hid her feet, and with her knees pulled up to her chest, So Ri could only see the part of Madeleine's face that wasn't hidden behind her tangled hair.

"Are you cold?"

Not waiting for a reply, So Ri took off the wrap she'd been wearing and tucked it around Madeleine's shoulders.

Madeleine said nothing, but she didn't fight the gesture either.

"Madeleine?"

A deep gasp emerged from Madeleine's throat, as though she were choking, and through the gap in her hair So Ri saw a tear trickle down her right cheek.

"Madeleine...Is there something you'd like to talk about?"

"I..." Madeleine faltered, her lower lip trembling.

"Yes? What is it?" So Ri put her hand on Madeleine's shoulder.

"I...Omma...Do you hate me?"

"Hate you? Now why would you think that?"

"You should." Madeleine sniffled. "I hate myself. All I do...is fuck...everything up."

"Madeleine."

"It's true. I'm the most selfish person I know, and that's a quite a feat because I know you and I know Appa."

So Ri supposed she could be offended, but she couldn't exactly deny that last statement. Ignoring it, she moved her chair closer to Madeleine and sat down next to her.

"Is this about that Song boy?...You really liked him, didn't you?" She placed her cold hands over Madeleine's colder ones.

"Maybe...I...I don't know...It doesn't matter. To him, I'm sure it seems like I was just pretending those four years. Well...in a way, I was pretending...and then I was going to marry his best friend... _his_ best friend...People don't do such horrible things to someone they love."

"I know that's not what you set out to do."

"But it's what I did. And then I...then I...Did you...Did you ever do something so horrible that you knew you couldn't take back so you just kept on going because...because there was no use trying to change after that?...Like...this is who I am now, so why bother?...Like you can see the train wreck in front of you...you can see everything's that's about to happen, but you've just lost control?"

Pushing her hair back from her face, Madeleine rubbed her eyes with her free hand until day-old mascara left black splotches on her skin.

So Ri stayed silent for a moment, unsure of how much she wanted to share. But then, there was too much left unsaid between them, and a lot of good it had done.

Letting go of Madeleine's hand, she reached for her coffee and gulped down the cold, bitter liquid.

Setting the china cup carefully back down on the table, she began quietly, "I never thought I would tell anyone this. I especially never thought I would tell you, but...I want to now. I think you should hear it. And just let me start by saying that I'm not making excuses. I know I was a bad mother. I never hated you, but I resented you enough for it to seem like I did, and I'm sorry. Because what happened, it wasn't your fault."

The maid reappeared and asked if they needed anything, some hot coffee perhaps, and So Ri waved her off.

Her lipstick had left a crimson smudge on the rim of the cup.

Madeleine's eyes, also, were rimmed with red as she faced So Ri.

"What wasn't?" she asked softly, not so much with tenderness, it seemed, but out of fear.

So Ri looked away, half-scared of the answer herself. She lowered her voice in case the maid was still in earshot.

"Many, many years ago, So Hyun Sub had some pieces that were part of an exhibit here in Paris, and on the opening night I made the rather rash decision to go. Your father was working late that night, and I thought I would go and be back before he even knew I'd been gone. So I went, and, yes, I saw him, but nothing happened. I didn't talk to him. I didn't even make eye contact, just watched him from across the room, hidden in the crowd of people, for twenty minutes or so. Then I came home. And guess who was waiting for me, absolutely furious, in the dining room?"

"Appa?"

"I don't think I was ever so afraid of anything I was of your father that night...and...nine months later, you were born."

* * *

Her mother said the last part of the sentence so quietly, Madeleine had to run it through her head a few times to make sure she'd heard it right.

"You mean...he forced...himself...on you?" she asked.

The distant noise of dishes clattering inside cut the ensuing silence, but Madeleine held her breath. Her mother twisted a paper napkin, untwisted it, and twisted it again.

"I...I'm so ashamed of it now, but I couldn't even look at you right after you were born. Every time I did it just reminded me of that night. When I got angry, even if it wasn't about you, you were always the first person I lashed out at. At first, when you were little, you kept trying so hard to be close to me, but eventually you just gave up. By the time I realized what I had done enough to regret it, I let Abella take care of you because I thought I had missed my chance. So you resented me, and I ignored you. What I hate knowing the most is that if there is any darkness in your heart, I put it there. I should be blamed."

"I...I don't—"

"Believe me? It's all right. I didn't think you would. You were always so close to him."

_Close_ was a relative term, though, as Madeleine had never been truly close to anyone save Abella.

And now she hoped the ghosts of everyone her father had wronged haunted him for eternity.

As sickening as it sounded, she believed her mother was telling the truth. Somehow it all made sense.

A monster would beget a monster.

"No," she said. "That's not what I was going to say. I mean...I don't understand...if that was true, why didn't you leave him?"

"Leave and go where?" So Ri scoffed. "Do you know I've never had a job? Ever. I'd end up cleaning houses like Abella...and...if I left, your father would have kept both you and your brother, I'm sure of it. It's not like I would have had the resources to raise you properly."

"But you would have gotten a lot of money if you divorced him, right?"

" _If_ he agreed to divorce me." Her mother waved the idea away with her hand. "But there was no pre-nuptial agreement. Maybe I would have gotten something, but to save his face, your father could have done anything. He could have accused me of anything, even fabricated some story about me and Hyun Sub. To be honest, I'd accepted my life for what it was. It was my father's money he wanted when he married me. For the most part, he ignored me. But he was good to you and your brother. That's what mattered to me."

"Oh god." Her voice broke, a sickening thought taking hold. "Is that why he was always so good to me? To spite you?"

"What?"

"I bet he never even loved me. I'm just another pawn is his fucking mind games."

"That's not-"

"This is what you wanted to tell me? That my life is a fucking mistake? That I hurt people just by existing? I already knew that, thanks. But you just had to drive that point in and twist it, didn't you?"

She wanted to scream, to break something, to throw the whole damned breakfast ensemble to the ground and let the china crumble into a million pieces.

"I didn't tell you that to hurt you."

"Then what did you tell it to me for?! So I could hate Appa as much as you do? I already hate him for screwing around behind my back, for screwing with Woo Bin's life. I don't need your help...What?! Why are you looking at me like that?"

Tears were blurring her eyes now, blurring the image of her mother leaning toward her, the concern on her face now replaced by what looked oddly like relief.

"I'm sorry, it's just...that's the most words you've spoken since we got here. It's good to hear your voice again."

Madeleine tried to scoff but it came out choked.

"You _want_ to hear me yell at you?"

"I think you're entitled to say what you want," her mother replied calmly, her voice several decibels below where Madeleine's had been. "I've put you through enough. I only told you that so you could understand that I never hated you. It was always him I hated. Not you. Never you."

"Oh, don't go and be a fucking saint now, Omma," Madeleine bit back, dropping her voice nonetheless. She breathed in deep and tried to swallow down her tears. The exhale shuddered through her. "Because I can't."

"I'm not trying to be a...a _fucking saint_ , as you put it," So Ri answered. "I'm not trying to be a mother either...I'm just hoping...maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday...we can understand each other. We can be friends."

"I'm a liar and a thief and an absolute bitch." Madeleine pulled a cigarette out of the pack lying next to her unbuttered croissant. "Why would you want to be friends with me?"

"Because we're not that different. And I don't know...I think if we helped each other get into this mess, maybe we can help each other get back out."

Madeleine couldn't look at her mother. She couldn't light her cigarette. When she closed her eyes, she always saw the same two images: a frightened girl in a torn dress and the look of absolute disgust Woo Bin had given her when the F4 had interrogated her.

Liar.

Thief.

Bitch.

Her throat closed up, as if it, too, was scared to take a breath she didn't deserve.

_We can be friends._

_We're not that different._

_We can help each other._

_It was always him I hated. Not you. Never you._

Despite the dull scraping of her chair against the concrete, Madeleine barely noticed her mother stand up and kneel down in front of Madeleine's chair until she stuck her hand out.

"I'm So Ri." She smiled up at Madeleine brightly, the expression soft and earnest and almost childish, like they were meeting for the first time.

It reminded her of the smile her mother wore in the old photo of her and Hyun Sub, full of promise and hope.

Madeleine stared at the aging hand for a long time. She could push it away. She was good at pushing people away. It had been all she'd done for practically half her life. But what good had that done her? What good had that done anyone?

Madeleine felt black inside, and she knew she'd deserved every bit of the torture Woo Bin and his friends had put her through, but she only wanted to remember the good days before she screwed everything up, before she'd stuck a knife in his chest and twisted it until the blood burned her own skin.

She couldn't undo it. No matter how many apology letters she wrote and crumpled up in the middle of the night or how many she actually sent, in the end it would only be her own heart that felt alleviated of its weight.

She knew firsthand how heavy apologies could be, how they could make you feel worse when all you wanted to do is move on. Apologies relieved the abuser of their guilt but never the abused of their pain.

Still, the question lingered: if she couldn't go back, where did she go from here?

The cigarette slipped from her fingers.

Tentatively, she placed her right hand in her mother's palm, the dull silver of the cheap ring she'd stolen from Gu Jun Pyo's department reflecting the clear blue sky and the sharp sunlight overhead.

"Madeleine," she whispered.

"Madeleine. Now _that_ is a very pretty name."


	61. Chapter 61

The past few weeks had flown by in a blur of activity.

Ga Eul had spent a lot of time with her parents, and Yi Jeong had been tying up loose ends while they both prepared for the move. She knew her parents were still adjusting to the idea of her moving so far away, but at least they seemed to respect the sacrifice Yi Jeong had made just to be with her. Even her father had reluctantly accepted the arrangement when he saw how much it meant to her to be with him. In the meantime, she was trying to comfort both of her parents with promises of frequent visits and Swedish pastries.

They'd decided on a small, intimate venue for the wedding, not so much because of costs but because a larger one would attract more publicity and they wanted it to be a celebration among close friends and family. Her dress, nonetheless, had been hand-sewn on a rush order by the demand of Jun Pyo, who took pride in reminding them—continuously—that he was an excellent matchmaker.

Ah, well, at least some things never changed, thought Ga Eul, smiling as she taped another cardboard box shut.

This whole week she'd been sorting through the remainder of the items that hadn't come with her to her apartment and deciding, with much more finality, which items she would be keeping.

Somehow they had managed to get through only a quarter of Ga Eul's belongings before running out of empty boxes.

Jun Pyo, insistent that Yi Jeong and Ga Eul should take his private plane to their new home, had made it possible for Ga Eul to bring more than a suitcase or two of her belongings, but sorting through the years of clutter still proved an impossible task, especially since she had forgotten most of what was stored in her closet and felt another wave of nostalgia each time she found a memento from a long ago friend or a souvenir from a trip she had taken as a kid with her family.

Packing was a tedious task she needed an entire year for if she were to properly work through all of her emotions.

As it was, she had been given one month.

Tonight they were having dinner with everyone. A week from now they would get married, and instead of simply leaving for their honeymoon they would leave behind all of life as they had known it. Even when Yi Jeong had gone to Sweden before, he'd lived in a house picked out by his family. His education, the funds with which he traveled and bought Ga Eul all those expensive clothes, and his connections to the art world there were all privileges afforded him by his family's name and status. In a sense, nothing he had there was really his.

Well, except for herself, she mused.

Though, to Ga Eul, it seemed like Yi Jeong had gotten out just in time, she knew he struggled with feeling like he'd abandoned his family to a sinking ship. At least few of the charges could point directly to Yi Jeong's father as he had largely kept out of the museum's business affairs, only teaching master classes and making appearances at auctions and exhibits. Yet from Woo Bin, Yi Jeong had learned that his father provided Seong Jae's attorneys with the files needed to indict his grandfather for corruption. Woo Bin, who was initially caught up in the trial himself due to his relationship with Madeleine, informed him that it was in exchange for two things –immunity for Woo Bin and a disclaimer, in writing, that Seong Jae would never at any time disclose through any parties the true identity of his son. At a time when he probably should have been keeping a low profile and leaning on his disinterest like a crutch, he seemed to earnestly be trying to do the right thing, and Ga Eul had to respect him, just a little, for that. At any rate, she couldn't completely dislike the man that had convinced Yi Jeong to choose her over everything.

Not that Yi Jeong wouldn't have come to that conclusion himself, she noted mentally, but given how stubborn he could be...

Jun Pyo had been in business meetings all day, while Woo Bin had been tasked with picking up Jae Kyung from the airport. Somewhat surprisingly, she had contacted Jan Di and herself a few months after she had left Korea with an earnest apology and a hopeful note that they might all be friends again. Over time, they had developed a friendship apart from their mutual ties to the F4, and Jae Kyung had even been invited to Jun Pyo and Jan Di's upcoming wedding.

The latter had just arrived at Ga Eul's parents' home with Ji Hoo, who had brought over some spare boxes from the clinic.

Ga Eul giggled at Jan Di's protests as Ji Hoo took a heavy box from her arms.

Jan Di followed him out to the car they were loading, leaving Ga Eul and Yi Jeong alone for a few moments.

She was staring at a picture of herself and Jan Di in grade school when she saw, out of the corner of her eye, Yi Jeong pick up a scrapbook she'd kept up when she was 12, maybe 13.

"No! Don't look at that!"

She didn't even know she still _had_ that.

"You know, judging from all the heart stickers, I think this is the book of Ga Eul's secret crushes. So...what page am I on?"

There went that infuriating smirk.

"You don't have a page, Sunbae. I hadn't met you yet."

"So you're saying if you had met me sooner I would have a page?"

"Aniyo!" Ga Eul climbed over the bed and tried to grab the book, but he held it out of her reach, moving so quickly she nearly fell off the bed and had to catch herself on the boxes at the bed's edge.

"Hey! Careful...Wait, wait. Let's see here. 'I heart Lee Jang Woo. Jang Woo Sunbae Forever...Sunbae? Ga Eul-yang, do you have a thing for older guys?'"

Chuckling, he lifted the book away again as Ga Eul attacked him, clinging to his arm and reaching desperately for the book he held aloft.

From a group photo pasted into the book, her own 13-year-old brace face smiled down at them while her bony and figureless body clung onto a short-lived middle school girlfriend whose name escaped her.

"He was only one grade above me," she commented feebly.

"Let me guess. He treated you like his little sister."

"Wow...sounds like someone I know...but no...I never...actually talked to him."

"But there's a picture here."

"I know. It's from a birthday party. I got invited to be in the same picture with him, but actually I got so nervous I couldn't even say hi. He probably thought I was really rude. Actually, he probably didn't think of me at all." Ga Eul sighed and lightly slapped Yi Jeong's arm. "Anyway, stop making me depressed for nothing. And give it back. Please."

"Why? I'm judging your taste in men." Yi Jeong flipped through an extensive section of celebrity crushes. "Obviously, it has vastly improved in recent years."

"Actually"—Ga Eul snatched the book from under his nose—"I have a feeling it's gotten worse...since you insist on continually insulting me."

"That was not an insult. Being a little sister type just means you're adorable."

"It also means no one wants to go _out_ with you, Sunbae, as you so helpfully pointed out yourself."

Yi Jeong frowned.

"That's not true. I wanted to go out with you _because_ you're adorable. See?"

"Yeah, it only took you three years," Ga Eul deadpanned.

"Quit being so negative." He set the book down and placed his hands on her waist. "Look at what's on your finger."

"I know. I like it."

"Better than the other one?"

"Yes. The other ring was pretty, but this one is simpler. I don't know, I guess I don't feel like it's swallowing my finger up."

"Ah, noted. Well, I always meant to let you pick one, anyway. That one was...more for show I guess." His fingers danced along the creases in her skirt. "What do you think is taking the two of them so long?" He cocked his head toward the door Jan Di and Ji Hoo had left through.

Ga Eul shrugged.

"Probably the wedding planner calling her again."

Yi Jeong nodded and nestled his head on top of hers.

"I missed you," she mumbled.

"I love you," he replied.

"I love you too," Ga Eul whispered, snuggling against him. His scent was earth and expensive cologne and...home.

* * *

Yi Jeong could stay forever like this, just holding her, but something had caught his eye in her top dresser drawer. It had been pushed to the back, concealed from sight until the drawer had been mostly emptied, but now it called to him familiarly.

"Hey, what is that?"

"Hmm?" Ga Eul asked.

Letting her go, Yi Jeong stepped over to the half-empty drawer. When he turned around, he held up his own handkerchief, several years old, in his hand.

"Ah...that...well...you never asked for it back," Ga Eul deflected.

"And you decided to use it as a bookmark," Yi Jeong continued, amused. "What is this, anyway?" Yi Jeong held up the plain pocket notebook full of tattered pages that the handkerchief had been pressed into. "An address book? Ga Eul-yang, don't tell me. You're the kind of person who still sends handwritten Christmas cards."

"So what if I do? It's much more personable than a mass message." She snatched the notebook out of his hands. "And that's not my address book." Reaching inside a half-packed box, she pulled out a much larger yellow book with kittens chasing a ball of yarn across the cover. "This is."

"Ah. Deliveries then?"

"Deliveries?"

"For the porridge shop. I saw some of them were business addresses."

Ga Eul averted her eyes.

"All of them are business addresses."

"You do know businesses accept all of their applications online these days, right?"

"It's not...That's not what it's for. I can really just get rid of it now. It was for a project."

"Project?"

Ga Eul nodded and set her address book back in the box. Her hand wavered over the trash can for a moment before she set the small notebook back on her dresser.

While she taped the box together, Yi Jeong grabbed the notebook again and flipped to the last page where one address had been circled in red pen.

This wasn't what he thought it was...was it?

"Is this..."

He hesitated.

It took her a moment, but Ga Eul finally turned around and admitted, in her adorably shy way, "Those are all the places I went when I...when I was looking for the building where you could see Eun Jae Seonsaengnim's message."

Sitting down on the bed, Yi Jeong flipped through the messy, faded scrawl once more, lingering a bit longer over each page.

"You actually _went_ to all of these places?" He looked up at her for confirmation.

Ga Eul nodded.

"Well I...I thought it was important, and it might help you get better so..."

"How did you have time?"

"Well, um..." Ga Eul laughed nervously. "I went before and after work on the weekends and sometimes after school. It took me a few weeks. I mean, I only had so much time between the porridge shop and school, so it really wasn't that much."

Yet she'd spent that time on him. He'd never bothered to ask her before how she knew where the billboard was. Maybe he'd assumed Eun Jae had told her the exact spot.

He knew that she liked him back then, but he'd failed to realize how deep her affection went.

An old pang of guilt knotted up in his throat. She'd cared about him—cared for him—so much, and he'd treated her like crap.

Well, at least he'd have a lifetime to make up for it.

"Come here."

Yi Jeong held out his hand, and she came over to stand in front of him. Grabbing her by her waist, he lifted her up on the bed so that she sat on his lap, facing him and straddling his waist.

"Ga Eul yang, you're an idiot," he whispered.

"What?" An indignant look came over her face.

"You're an idiot for doing that...and I love you." He brushed her hair away from her face, and she slid up more so she could hug him.

She smiled, but a sudden sadness shone from her eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"What?"

"You look like you're about to cry."

"Oh, that...I'm sorry, it's just...I remember thinking it was my fate to bring the two of you back together. But I'm glad you chose me." Her voice cracked on the last sentence.

"Of course I chose you." He flicked her forehead. "You are the adorable sisterly type, after all."

"Oh, and I completely fell for your spoiled, selfish jerk routine."

"Commoner."

"Chaebol."

"Aniyo...commoner." He gestured to his shirt.

She shook her head and grinned.

"Wearing a t-shirt doesn't make you a commoner, Sunbae."

"It's a start," he replied quietly and leaned in for another kiss.

"Someone's ready for their honeymoon," Ji Hoo's low but all-knowing voice entered the room, followed by a hissed "Sunbae" from none other than Jan Di, though whether it was directed at Ji Hoo or himself, Yi Jeong couldn't tell.

He only saw and only cared about one person, who meanwhile blushed as bright as ever as she stood up and smoothed out her skirt. She let out a nervous laugh, and he suddenly remembered the first time he had seen her through the glass before he entered the porridge shop.

He had thought her quite ordinary, and she had thought him to be nothing further than what his reputation suggested.

It had been a normal day, and they had been utterly unaware of each other, of the role they would come to play in each other's life.

Were they really soulmates, destined against all odds to meet and connect on such a level that was beyond understanding or words?

Or were they just two stubborn idiots who had stumbled into each other's path and found themselves completely unwilling to let each other go?

Did it matter?

Either way, he knew his father had been right about one thing.

The real thing only came once.


	62. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! You've reached the end! Heart of Porcelain is the first fanfiction I ever wrote. This story started out as a six-chapter short fiction covering one night that Yi Jeong and Ga Eul spent together before he left for Sweden, and it turned into this unbelievable sequel of sorts thanks to my awesome readers and reviewers.
> 
> Boys Over Flowers was one of the first K-dramas I watched, during a summer when I was really depressed. A close friend of mine introduced me to K-dramas and, of course, I got addicted. I LOVED YJ and GE together since the first time I saw them both in the same scene, and I was so glad my ship paid off. I was in a really dark place mentally and emotionally at that time, and I'm really grateful for all the beautiful SoEul stories other people wrote that cheered me up. This story is my gift back to the community that gave that to me.
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)

_Five Years Later_

After five long years of exile, they were returning home, although it never truly felt like exile to Yi Jeong since Ga Eul had been there. She had turned their small corner of the world into a home. Halfway through the flight to Korea, Ga Eul had fallen asleep with her head resting on Yi Jeong's shoulder. On the other side of him, their daughter Soo Bin was busy drawing her latest creation—a portrait of the airplane in three dimensions with the three of them inside. Even though she was just a little bit over four years old, the museum staff always had plenty of remarks about how she was going to be a child prodigy, just like him, but Yi Jeong, while sending to her the best art tutors he could afford, had decided not to push her too much in that direction unless it was what she really wanted.

"Is that for Omma?" he whispered over her shoulder.

Soo Bin nodded and selected another colored pencil from the sunflower pouch in her lap.

She had been a surprise.

Only a few weeks after Yi Jeong and Ga Eul arrived in Sweden, Ga Eul found out she was pregnant with Soo Bin. When they first learned the news, Yi Jeong was afraid it might be too much for Ga Eul. After all, she had barely had time to adjust to her new home, and, even though she tried hard to hide it from him, he knew she felt terribly homesick after the honeymoon ended and they both had to take over their new responsibilities. Yet Soo Bin turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The fact that she now had to care for this fragile little life seemed to give Ga Eul more strength and determination to succeed in Sweden. In the early days, the baby gave her someone to occupy herself with since she didn't know English or Swedish well enough at first to get any sort of teaching job, and Yi Jeong wouldn't stand for her taking a menial labor position as much as she insisted that she wouldn't mind doing so for the time being. Taking Soo Bin on outings had opened up another door for her, however, as she always took her camera with her, and, over time, Yi Jeong had convinced Ga Eul to show some of her photography to the art director at the museum he worked at.

It was ironic that their welcome back to Seoul had partly resulted from Ga Eul herself holding an exhibition. Yi Jeong's grandfather, having never quite recovered from the shame of the trial regardless of how few of the charges had stuck, had passed away over a year ago, and now his father had a good bit of control over the museum's affairs.

His father had even reconnected with Il Hyun in the past few years. Il Hyun and Eun Jae had two kids of their own, and Ga Eul liked to joke that being a grandfather had softened him up because now it seemed the only pictures they saw of his father included his grandsons.

Yi Jeong knew better. His father had never been the same since So Ri came back into his life and disappeared again, but the change had all been for the better. Their own relationship had never fully healed itself, but Yi Jeong didn't loathe him the way he used him.

Maybe, in some not-too-distant future, father and son could have a drink together.

The seatbelt light dinged on overhead, and the pilot's voice announced their impending arrival over the intercom.

"Ga Eul-yang?" Yi Jeong whispered.

Her head shifted position, and she mumbled, "Hmm...Sunbae?"

He quirked a smile. After all this time, she still called him Sunbae.

"We're almost there."

Instead of sitting up, she mumbled, her face partially buried in his shoulder, "Do you think we'll hear Jae Kyung calling our names from the other side of the airport?"

Yi Jeong grinned.

"Well, it's not like Woo Bin can exactly handle his own wife."

Woo Bin and Monkey. Now that had definitely been one he did not see coming. Even more than Ji Hoo finding love again with one of his coworkers at the hospital, Yi Jeong had never envisioned any of them ending up with Jae Kyung. Not that he had anything against her exactly. She was a just a bit...excitable.

Still, he couldn't deny that she had a warm heart, and her stubborn spirit had been just what Woo Bin needed to pull himself out of the depression threatening to overwhelm him after the whole Madeleine incident and his disentanglement from his own family. She'd offered him a management position at her father's company shortly after arriving in Korea, and now for the rest of his life Yi Jeong had the pleasure of teasing him about marrying his boss.

"Omma, look what I drew!" Soo Bin pushed her picture into Ga Eul's hands as she slowly sat back up.

"Hmm?...Omo, that's so good. You should show it to your halmoni. We're going to halmoni's house. Remember Halmoni and Harabeoji Chu?"

Soo Bin nodded her head emphatically.

"We're going to have a big party at halmoni's house when we get to Korea, okay? You'll get see all your uncles and aunts. Remember Jan Di? The one who taught you swimming?"

"Mmhm." Ever a bundle of energy, Soo Bin squirmed in her seat as Ga Eul packed her crayons and papers away.

"Hey, hey, hey." Yi Jeong pushed Soo Bin's shoulders back down and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "We're almost there, but we've got to be really still so Omma will buy us ice cream when we land."

For that statement Yi Jeong got an incredulous look from his wife, though Soo Bin was too distracted by the landing instructions now flashing across the screens on the backs of the chairs in front of them.

'Don't tell her that,' Ga Eul mouthed.

"I love you," he mouthed back.

She rolled her eyes and faced the window again. The vast skyscrapers of Seoul had come into view, and she stared out at the modern landscape, pensive.

Yi Jeong poked her shoulder. It took a few times, but she turned to him finally, and mouthed, "What?"

He mouthed back, "Are you ready?"

"What?" she asked.

"I said, 'Are you ready?'" he repeated in a normal voice.

"For that?" She inclined her head toward the window.

He nodded.

Ga Eul tilted her head thoughtfully, letting the question linger for a moment.

Then she smiled.

"I'm the mother of a four year old. I married one of the F4, and I just spent five years living in a foreign country. I can speak three languages, fluently, and I'm having an exhibition at the Woo Sung Museum. I like to think maybe _they're_ not ready for _me_."


End file.
